Caviar Blinis with Lemon Crème Fraîche and Chives
Twelve small golden blinis topped with lemon crème fraîche, chilled sturgeon caviar and fresh chives. Makes six two-piece appetizer portions.
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour about 63 g
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.125 tsp fine salt for blini batter only
- 1 whole large egg
- 0.333 cup whole milk about 80 ml
- 0.5 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tsp neutral cooking oil for skillet as needed
- 0.5 cup crème fraîche refrigerated
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest plus a little to finish
- 1 tbsp fresh chives finely chopped
- 30 g chilled sturgeon caviar commercially packed; about 1 oz
- 1 whole lemon wedges to serve; optional
Instructions
- Whisk flour, baking powder and fine salt. Whisk egg with milk and melted butter separately, then stir wet into dry just until a thick pourable batter forms. Rest five minutes.
- Warm a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Drop approximately one level tablespoon batter for each mini blini.
- Cook until small bubbles appear and the edges are set, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn once and cook the second side until lightly golden, about one minute. Repeat for around 12 blinis.
- Transfer blinis to a rack. Let them cool to barely warm or room temperature so the refrigerated topping will not heat.
- Gently fold lemon zest and half the chopped chives into the chilled crème fraîche. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
- Just before serving, top each blini with about two teaspoons of crème fraîche and a small portion of chilled caviar. Sprinkle with remaining chives and offer lemon wedges. Serve promptly and refrigerate leftover caviar.
Notes
Keep commercially packaged sturgeon caviar refrigerated as its label directs and return unused caviar to the refrigerator promptly. Use a clean spoon. Caviar is a refrigerated ready-to-eat fish-roe product; people at higher risk of foodborne illness should check product-specific guidance and avoid unpasteurized seafood. Blinis contain wheat, egg and milk; crème fraîche contains milk. These are appetizer portions, not a seafood entrée. Do not add salt to the topping before tasting the packaged caviar.