Name: Mason's Restaurants Scottish Smoked Salmon & Chive Cream Cheese Blini Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 18 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 0.5 cups buckwheat flour; 0.5 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 0.5 tsp salt; 3 tbs milk; 1 whole egg; 2 tbs butter, melted + extra for frying; 8 oz cream cheese, full-fat, softened; 2 tbs fresh chives, finely chopped; 0.5 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp lemon juice; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.125 tsp black pepper; 1 tbs sour cream (optional, to loosen); 6 oz Scottish smoked salmon (thinly sliced); 6 pieces small dill sprigs; 2 pieces lemon wedges; 1 tbs capers (optional); 0 to taste freshly ground black pepper

Method

Blini (buckwheat-riched)

Make batter

In a medium bowl whisk together buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg with the milk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just combined; a few small lumps are okay. Rest the batter for 10 minutes to hydrate the buckwheat.

Heat a nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat and brush lightly with melted butter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter per blini into the pan to make 2- to 2.5-inch rounds (you should get ~18–20 small blini). Cook 1–1.5 minutes until bubbles form and edges set, then flip and cook 30–45 seconds more until golden. Transfer to a rack or plate and keep warm in a low oven (90–100°C / 200°F) while you cook remaining batter.

Chive Cream Cheese

Prepare cheese spread

In a bowl combine softened cream cheese, chopped chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth. If the mixture seems too firm for spreading, fold in 1 tablespoon sour cream to loosen to a pipeable/spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Transfer the chive cream cheese to a piping bag or a small bowl for easier assembly.

Assembly & Garnish

Place blini on a serving platter. Using a spoon or piping bag, dollop or pipe about 1 teaspoon of chive cream cheese onto each blini.

Top each with a small folded slice of Scottish smoked salmon (about 10–12 g per blini) and garnish with a tiny sprig of dill and 1–2 capers if using. Finish with a light grind of black pepper and, if desired, a tiny squeeze of lemon over several blini just before serving.

Serve immediately while blini are warm (or at room temperature) as an elegant canapé or starter. Leftover chive cream cheese can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days; keep blini separate to retain texture.