Buckwheat Blini Bites with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche

I debated about what to post this Good Friday. Buckwheat Blini Bites with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche felt a little extravagant, but I ultimately decided they were a good choice.

As many of you know, my husband David is an Episcopal minister. I don’t fast on Good Friday, but David does–at least until after the last  service that ends around 8:00 tonight. One of my great pleasures is to make something delicious when he comes home tired and famished.

I’m not there for him today. I’m with my mom and dad who need me more this year. It’s hard when you can’t be with everyone you love.

But if I were home, I’d make these for him, because he loves smoked salmon and adores pancakes. I’d serve him these little buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon until he said stop. And then I’d  pull out the butter and maple syrup and  fire up the griddle again. He’d like that.

Maybe next year….

Buckwheat Blini Bites with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche

 

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Inspiration for this recipe came from Bon Appetite

by: Three Many Cooks

Serves: Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup buckwheat flour
• 1½ tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ package (1¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1 cup whole milk, heated to tepid
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Oil for brushing pan
• 1 package (4 ounces) thinly sliced smoked salmon
• Crème fraîche
• Fresh dill sprigs
• 1 jar ( 1.75 ounces) salmon caviar (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk flours, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Dissolve yeast in tepid milk; let stand to activate, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter.
2. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in warm area until doubled in volume, about 1½ hours.
3. Whisk batter to deflate; whisk in eggs.
4. Heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Brush lightly with oil. Working in batches, drop batter a generous teaspoon at a time onto griddle. Cook until bubbles form on top and start to pop. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown on bottom, about 1½ minutes. Transfer cooked blini to a wire rack. (Blini can be stored in a sealed plastic storage container up to 3 days.
5. When read to serve, arrange blinis on a platter. Top with smoked salmon, a dollop of creme fraiche, a sprig of dill, and optional salmon caviar. Serve.

Notes

To serve blinis as a first course rather than an appetizer, use a tablespoon of batter rather than a teaspoonful. To serve them warm, keep the cooked blini on a covered baking sheet in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

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