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Ingredients
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Caviar & Garnish
Blinis (makes ~12 small blinis)
Method
Blinis (makes ~12 small blinis)
- 1
Prepare batter
In a small bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl whisk the milk, sour cream and egg yolk until smooth. Combine wet into dry and stir gently until just combined; a few small lumps are fine. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes.
- 2
Whip egg white
Just before cooking, whip the egg white to soft peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped white into the batter to lighten, then gently fold in the remaining whites until evenly incorporated but not deflated.
- 3
Cook blinis
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and brush or swirl a small amount of butter to coat. Drop 1-tablespoonfuls of batter into the pan to form small 2-inch rounds. Cook 1–1.5 minutes until bubbles form and edges set, then flip and cook 30–45 seconds until golden. Transfer to a warm plate and keep loosely covered while you cook the rest. Yield: about 10–12 small blinis.
Caviar & Assembly
- 4
Bring caviar to temperature
Remove the Oscietra caviar from refrigeration 5–10 minutes before serving so it reaches a cool, not warm, temperature and its flavors open. Keep the tin on crushed ice if serving longer than a few minutes.
- 5
Prepare garnish
In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche with the lemon zest and half of the snipped chives. Season with a tiny pinch of salt (be conservative because the caviar is salty) and a grind of black pepper.
- 6
Assemble
Place warm blinis on a serving plate. Spoon roughly 1/2 teaspoon of the crème fraîche mixture onto each blini. Using a mother-of-pearl spoon or the back of a spoon, gently place about 1.6–2 grams of Oscietra caviar (approximately 1/2 teaspoon) on top of the crème fraîche on each blini. Garnish each with a few snips of chive and a faint grating of lemon zest. Provide lemon wedges on the side for guests who want a light squeeze.
- 7
Serve
Serve immediately so the blinis are slightly warm and the caviar remains cool. If not serving all caviar at once, keep the tin chilled on ice and return unused caviar to refrigeration promptly.