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Next Tuesday is Pancake day, and instead of preparing pancakes with Maple Syrup, I am making Russian Pancakes with smoked salmon and homemade aioli, a mayonnaise flavoured with garlic.
Russian pancakes are called Blinis and here in France you can find them already made at the Supermarkets in the seafood section.
They are slightly thicker than pancakes and can be regular size or small, like a bite-size, very practical for buffets.
Blinis are usually served with seafood or caviar, our favourite is smoked salmon and aioli.
They are delicious also with shrimps, crab meat, smoked mackerel.
To season it you can use sour cream, mayonnaise, aioli or salsa tartar.
If you don’t have time, you can buy blinis and sauces and assemble them just before serving them.
Blini Russian Pancake with Salmon
Ingredients
For the blinis
- 1 1/2 cup flour type 00 optional Pain multi-céréales
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 package Baking Powder 1 tsp
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp light oil for griddle (safflower or canola oil)
For the aioli
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- salt pepper
- 7 oz Smoked salmon good quality
- 1 lemon zest
Instructions
Make the blinis
- Blend all the ingredients for the pancakes with an electrical blender.
- Put a heavy-based frying pan or an iron griddle over high/medium heat and wait until it is warm before cooking the pancakes
- Pour the oil into a small cup and with the use of a brush grease lightly the pan
- Pour the batter over the hot griddle making pancakes with 10 or 5 cm in diameter depending on your needs.
- Once you see bubbles appearing through the batter, turn the pancakes on the other side.
- When the pancakes are done and you removed them from the pan, brush the pan with oil again before pouring more pancakes to cook
Make the Aioli
- All ingredients should be at room temperature
- In a bowl whisk the egg with salt, pepper and the mustard.
- Very slowly add the vegetable oil, in a thin but continuous flow.
- Add the lemon juice or the vinegar with the garlic at the end
- Keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days
Assemble the Blinis
- First, lay a slice of salmon then add a tsp of mayonnaise
- Add a swirl of lemon zest on top
They sound really delicious, I always fail to remember pancake day and usually get the nod when folk come home from work and tell me on facebook that it is pancake day and they have had their pancakes… Now I am forewarned and am planning some pancakes on Tuesday.
BTW these look so very good!
Thank you Brian, I am sure your wife would love those either for Valentine or pancake day.
I do a w bi-weekly Sunday brunch and this would be perfect on a brunch table! I love it!!!
That is a great idea and I am sure you have a nice cocktail to serve them with.
Blinis are so good and I love them with caviar and any seafood, we actually buy them in France every time we come. There are certain things we always get when we come to France like cheese, fois gras and blinis without a fail.
I always said I’m going to make my own but this time, that’s it, I know I’m gonna give them a go. Thank you for sharing Laura. Merci beaucoup!
Thank you Ramona. Already made blini are very handy to have and if you are very busy it is a good solution. If you make them yourselve you will have more space to buy more cheese or fois grass next time you are in France
Ha ha – good thinking Laura! Taken on board. Definitely will make my own now 😉
I convinced you I guess