A Mermaid's Purse, for Breakfast

A mermaid's purse is the iconic protective egg case of certain oviparous (egg laying) sharks and skates.

Here's another version, made of crepes, perfect for protecting your eggs at breakfast time.

First up, prep the crepe batter. You may also want to have fillings on hand-- such as extra eggs --and toppings; we recommend serving mermaid's purses with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Soft breakfast crepe batter

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp vanilla, bourbon, or grand marnier
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Lightly beat eggs. Add other ingredients and mix until completely smooth. If possible, allow batter to sit for several hours to overnight before using. Serves 2-3.

Tools and equipment: A seasoned crepe pan is ideal, but a seasoned skillet or flat grill (seasoned or nonstick) will also work well. Traditional tools like the crepe spreader and wooden spatula are fine if you have them; you can also use a wide spoon to spread out your batter. You'll also want a measuring cup with a pouring spout. Or for the gadget-inclined, a purpose-built batter dispenser. Finally, you'll need either a circular cookie cutter or a cutting board and knife.

Simplest version:

Heat your grill or pan, and pour out a few tablespoons of batter into the center. Spread out into a thin layer, using a circular motion. Watch for the top surface of the batter to dry, and then cook for another minute or so, depending on how dark you like your crepes. Use a spatula to fold the outer 1/3 of your crepe into the center from each side.

Use a circular (or otherwise rounded) cookie cutter to cut the distinctive shape of the mermaid's purse, with a round cutout at each end. If you don't have a suitable cookie cutter, transfer to a cutting board and cut the ends with a sharp knife. Reserve the cut-out sections, and begin the next crepe.

For each subsequent crepe, place the cut-out sections from the previous crepe in the center of the crepe before folding over the outer two sides into the center. This gives an extra layer of thickness in the center, for a better shape.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Alternate version: The egg case.

Immediately after spreading out your crepe, crack an egg over the center, and cook until the yolk begins to reach your desired consistency.

As before, fold over the sides of the crepe and cut out with the cookie cutter. You may wish to cook a bit longer in this state, depending on how solid you like your eggs.