Blini with Caviar, Smoked Salmon & Crème Fraiche 
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup masa harina
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • ¼ cup frozen white corn kernels, defrosted
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg, yolk and white separated
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • ¼ cup clarified butter
  • ¼ cup crème fraîche
  • ¼ pound sliced smoked salmon
  • ½ bunch chives, snipped
  • 1 to 2 oz. caviar

Combine flour, masa harina, sugar, baking powder, salt and a pinch of cayenne in a large bowl and set aside.

In a blender, puree the corn, buttermilk, egg yolks, and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Fold puree into the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt to form stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into the batter and allow batter to rest 15 minutes.

Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle a ½-teaspoon clarified butter into pan. Spoon tablespoons of batter onto the pan to make small pancakes and cook until bubbles start to show through. Flip blini over and cook until golden brown on the other side - approximately 3 minutes. Keep blini warm until ready to serve.

To serve: top each blini with a dab of crème fraîche, a small piece of salmon, caviar and a sprinkling of chives.

   
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