INDIVIDUAL SALMON BLINIS
Always a favourite, these yeasted blinis are an elegant start to your feast.
Hands-on time 30min, plus rising and cooling. Cooking time about 15min. Serves 8
FOR THE BLINIS
◆ 125g (4oz) crème fraîche
◆ 150ml (5fl oz) milk
◆ 2 medium eggs, separated
◆ 75g (3oz) buckwheat flour
◆ 125g (4oz) plain flour
◆ 1tsp fast-action dried yeast
◆ 25g (1oz) butter
TO SERVE
◆ 250g (9oz) crème fraîche
◆ Finely grated zest 1 lemon
◆ About 225g (8oz) sliced smoked salmon
◆ Handful watercress
◆ Caviar (we used lumpfish), optional
1 For blini mixture, heat crème fraîche and milk in a small pan, stirring until just warm. Whisk in egg yolks. In a large bowl, mix flours, yeast and ¼tsp salt. Add milk mixture; mix well. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1hr.
2 In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until holding medium peaks. Fold/stir into yeast mix. Re-cover; put in warm place for 1hr.
3 Melt some of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Spoon in blini mixture to make rough 10-12.5cm (4-5in) rounds, spacing a little apart – filling pan until full. Cook for a few minutes until golden on base and bubbles are set on top. Carefully flip, then cook for a few minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Continue with rest of butter and blini mixture to make 8 blinis.
4 Mix crème fraîche and lemon zest with some seasoning.
5 To serve, transfer blinis to a platter or eight plates. Divide crème fraîche mixture among blinis and spread slightly. Top each with salmon and then watercress, freshly ground black pepper and caviar, if using. Serve.
PER SERVING 358cals, 13g protein, 25g fat (15g saturates), 20g carbs (2g total sugars, 1g fibre
GET AHEAD
Prepare to end of step 4 up to a day ahead. Once cool, cover and chill blinis. Cover crème fraîche mixture; chill. To serve, allow blinis to come to room temperature; assemble up to 20min ahead.