Special Occasions Recipes - Smoked Salmon Blinis Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 250-300 ml/8-10 fl oz milk

• 50 g/2 oz plain flour

• 100 g/3 1/2 oz buckwheat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 15 g/1/2 oz fast-action dried yeast

• 50 g/2 oz butter

• 2 eggs, separated

• 2 tablespoons soured cream 

To serve:

• 125 g/4 oz smoked salmon

• 175 g/6 oz crème fraiche

• To garnish:

• salmon eggs

• dill sprigs

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Method:

1. Pour 175 ml/6 fl oz of the milk into a pan. Heat until the milk rises, remove from the heat and leave to stand until it is luke warm.

2. Sift the flours and salt into a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then make a well in the centre. Add the yeast and the scalded milk, and gradually incorporate the flour. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth. Cover with a damp tea towel and put in a warm place for 2-3 hours to rise.

3. Melt half of the butter in a pan and allow to cool a little. Add a further 50 ml/2 fl oz of the milk to the risen batter and stir it in thoroughly. Stir in the egg yolks, soured cream and melted butter until the mixture has the consistency of double cream. (If it is too thick to pour, add more milk.)

4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter, a little at a time, until thoroughly mixed.

5. Heat half of the remaining butter in a frying pan. Pour enough batter into the pan to make a small pancake. Cook for 1-2 minutes, turning when browned.

6. Keep warm while making the remaining blinis. Add more butter to the pan as necessary until all the batter is used.

7. Serve hot with smoked salmon and crème fraiche, and garnished with salmon eggs and dill sprigs.