Smoked Salmon Blini
Delicate buckwheat pancakes topped with crème fraîche and silky smoked salmon
Ingredients
- 0.5 cupall-purpose flour
- 0.5 cupbuckwheat flour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- 0.5 tspkosher salt
- 1egg
- 0.75 cupmilk
- 2 tbspbutter(melted, plus more for pan)
- 8 ozsmoked salmon(sliced)
- 0.5 cupcrème fraîche
- 2 tbspfresh dill(fronds)
- 2 tbspcapers(drained)
- freshly ground black pepper
📝 Make Ahead
Blini can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container. Bring to room temperature before topping.
Instructions
- Whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt in bowl
- In separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and melted butter
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until combined - lumps are okay
- Let batter rest 10 minutes
- Heat buttered griddle or skillet over medium heat
- Drop batter by tablespoons to form small pancakes about 2 inches diameter
- Cook until bubbles form and edges set, flip and cook until golden
- Let blini cool slightly
- Top each with small dollop of crème fraîche
- Add folded piece of smoked salmon
- Garnish with dill frond and a few capers
- Finish with freshly ground pepper
💡 Pro Tips
Buckwheat flour gives blini their distinctive earthy flavor - don't substitute entirely with regular flour. Small, thin blini work best as canapés. The batter should be pourable but not runny. Crème fraîche is tangier than sour cream; Greek yogurt works in a pinch. Assemble just before serving.
📜 History
Blini are traditional Russian yeasted buckwheat pancakes served during celebrations, particularly Maslenitsa (Butter Week). The pairing with smoked salmon and sour cream reflects the luxurious zakuski (appetizer) tradition. This simplified version uses baking powder instead of yeast but delivers similar nutty, tender results.