Buckwheat Blini
10-Oct-2005
Another weekend, another test recipe. This week it was Buckwheat Blini. I actually think I’ve made these in the past, but it’s been a while so I wanted to try them out. Like most pancake/crepe recipes this one is fairly simple. The main difference is that it includes yeast and you need to allow time to let the batter work before cooking your blini.
If you look for recipes on the web, you’ll find all kinds of variations – basically the same but sometimes with more eggs or changing the order of which ingredients are mixed in when. My guess is that you can’t go too wrong with any of them.
I used one I’d picked up at Seattle Caviar Company a couple of years ago when M, MM, and I stopped in there for a tasting. I figured since they have a vested interest in making sure the recipes are good it would be a good place to start. As a side note, if you live in Seattle or are visiting I highly recommend stopping by for a tasting. If you happen to get the owner, he is extremely knowledgeable and friendly and the sample sizes are very generous!
As I expected the recipe was easy and the blini great! I used an electric grill and found that blini placed in the middle row needed more time to properly brown than those on the outside rows – which makes sense since the rows on the outside are right over the element.
This recipe made a ton of half-dollar size blini. I ate several of them and put the rest in the freezer to be used some other time. To give them a proper test, I topped a few of them with creme fraiche, chopped chives and a bit of Ikura. Ikura is chum salmon caviar and is much, much less expensive than most other caviars. Although it is not as refined in taste, it still has a nice salty, briny tang and I think it is one of the most beautiful varieties. I absolutely love the jewel tones and the brightness it brings to any dish. Although, every time I see it I remember those days spent fishing on a riverbank with my Dad! Ikura looks exactly like the fishing eggs we used for bait most of the time. Or, I guess it’s actually the opposite, the bait looked exactly like the Ikura which it was supposed to do to attract those trout we were looking for!
Buckwheat Blini
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 heaping cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp. sour cream
Scald the milk, then remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm. Sift the flours and salt into a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add the yeast and then make a well. Add the lukewarm milk to the well. Gradually incorporate the flour. Beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth.
Cover with a damp dish towel and put in warm place for 2 to 3 hours until risen and full of bubbles. (Batter will almost double.)
Stir in the egg yolks, sour cream and melted butter until the mixture has the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add a bit more milk. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter a third at a time, cutting and folding until thoroughly mixed. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes in melted butter. (I used an electric grill at 350°F and then brushed the tops with a little melted butter when cooked.)
Blini can be made ahead of time and then warmed gently in a microwave or kept warm in the oven, covered in foil until needed. They can also be frozen. One recipe I read suggested freezing them in ziploc bags and then dropping the bag in boiling water to reheat them.
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Culinary Fool 
Buckwheat is great. I use to cook with it all the time, way back in my hippy – do everything natural – days. Me and my freinds made Buckwheat pillows and sold them. That was a walk down memory lane. Nice post – I will have to try the recipe!I am stopping by to bring you some……♥~Hugs~♥ Ok, This Is A Test To See How Many Friends You Have On The Internet !! It\’s Just A Test. Ok, Here Goes. Instantly, When You Receive This Page, You Must Send It To At Least 10 People, Including The Person Who Sent It To You.♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ ♥Hug♥ You Have Just Been Hugged !! That\’s right, there\’s no getting out of it this time!! This is the start of a full-scale Hug O\’ War! So hug everyone you know!!! Hug your friends, your enemies, everyone!! With all the other forwards out there, I thought this would be a good one to start. The hug is my favorite sign of affection. It can mean so much, and many things at the same time. It can be a sign of love, friendship, comfort or anything. So here you go. All I can say it will do is brighten someone\’s day. I mean, we all need a hug once in a while. So send this on if you\’d like, to anyone who may need a hug, send it back to whoever sent it to you, send it back to me!! Goodness knows, we could all really use a hug sometimes.I hope you have a nice day/evening!! Love and hugs
Thanks, Jossie!I\’ve heard of buckwheat pillows – I think you use the shells or something, right? ~ B