Smoked salmon & beetroot blinis

An old favourite, blinis with smoked salmon are always well received at Christmas gatherings. Made with buckwheat flour, they’re gluten-free and a healthy boost for your gut. Serve with a hearty dollop of delicious crème fraîche.

MAKES 18 BLINIS

FOR THE BLINIS 120g buckwheat flour 5g dried yeast Pinch of salt Pinch of sugar 100ml kefir 75ml whole milk 1 egg, separated FOR THE BEETS 150g sugar 150g white wine vinegar 2 sprigs of dill 4 peppercorns 2 bay leaves Pinch of salt 2 candy beetroot, peeled and very finely sliced TO SERVE Crème fraîche 150g smoked salmon A little fresh dill

1 Begin by making the blini batter. Combine the buckwheat flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Warm the kefir and whole milk together in a small saucepan until lukewarm, then pour into the flour and yeast mixture.

2 Stir well until you have a completely smooth, thick batter. Cover with a tea towel or cloth and leave to one side for 30min.

3 Meanwhile, to pickle the beetroot, place the sugar, vinegar, dill, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir to make sure all of the sugar has dissolved and pour over the sliced beetroot in a bowl. Leave to cool.

4 After 30min, stir the egg yolk into the blini batter. Then beat the egg white until stiff and fold this into the batter until it’s evenly combined.

5 To cook, heat a frying pan and lightly grease with a little oil. Use a dessertspoon to drop the batter into the pan, forming small circles. Cook for 2-3min until bubbles form on the top of the blini. Flip over and cook for 30sec longer before removing to a plate or tray.

6 To serve, simply spoon a little crème fraîche onto each blini, followed by a slice of salmon and a wafer of pickled beetroot. Finish with a sprig of dill.