These quick and easy yeast-free blinis are perfect for a celebratory caviar party at home, and the buckwheat flour gives them an appealing toasty, malty quality. If you make them ahead, just warm them in a hot, dry pan when you need them.
100g buckwheat flour
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
250ml milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs, separated
vegetable oil for cooking
1. Whisk buckwheat flour, self-raising flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. In a second bowl, whisk the milk, melted butter and egg yolks until smooth.
Step 2. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, bringing them together with a rubber spatula until smooth. (If lumpy, strain into a fresh bowl.) Leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, and fold into the batter.
4. Brush a non-stick frypan with oil and drop in the batter by the tablespoonful. Cook until little holes appear in the top (about 1 minute), then turn and cook for a further 30 seconds. Repeat with remaining oil and batter, and serve while still warm.
Tip: For a glamorous caviar service, use a mix of caviar (I love Yarra Valley Salmon Caviar and Smoked Salmon Pearls, and for something special, osetra caviar from a specialist supplier). Set out small bowls of sour cream, lemon wedges, and finely chopped chives, onion and hard-boiled egg, pile on the warm blinis and serve with chilled vodka, sake or champagne.
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