Best Beluga Lentil Caviar On Blini Recipes

BELUGA LENTIL CAVIAR ON BUCKWHEAT BLINIS

Steps:

• In fine-meshed sieve, rinse lentils, removing any tiny stones and debris. In small saucepan, bring 2 cups (500 mL) water and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt to a boil. Add rinsed lentils. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or just until lentils are tender but still hold their shape. It's best to be slightly undercooked. Drain well and transfer to medium-sized bowl. Add red pepper and onion and gently fold together. Set lentils aside to cool while making blinis.
• In medium-sized bowl, combine all-purpose and buckwheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to blend. In small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, oil and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
• Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Lightly brush large nonstick frying pan with a little oil. Heat pan over medium just until a drop of water bounces when added.
• Drop batter, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) at a time, into hot frying pan, leaving space in between. You want batter thin enough so each blini will spread out to about 2 in (5 cm) in diameter as it cooks. If batter appears too thick, whisk in a tiny splash of additional milk.
• Cook blini until bubbles form on the surface, about 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip with thin spatula and continue to cook for 1 more minute, until light golden brown. Transfer to lined baking sheet in single layer. Add a piece of parchment between layers as needed. Cover and set aside. Blinis can be refrigerated up to a day.
• To serve, top blinis with equal amounts of yogurt, lentil mixture, capers, a pinch of za'atar, and a sprinkling of chives.

BELUGA LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils, and pick through them to remove any small stones.
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute. Add the onion, thyme, chile, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook the onion, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring to coat the lentils in the oil and vegetables. Reduce the heat to low, and add the wine. Quickly add 6 cups water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
• Strain the lentils over a bowl. Toss them with the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, the basil sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. (Add more of the liquid if the lentils seem dry.) Taste for seasoning.

BLINI WITH THREE CAVIARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl proof the yeast with 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar in 1/3 cup lukewarm water for 10 minutes, or until it is foamy. Stir in 1 cup of the milk, heated to lukewarm, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the buckwheat flour, beat the batter for 1 minute, and let it rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 2 hours or chill it, covered tightly, overnight. (Chilling overnight produces a tangier flavor. Let the batter come to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.) Stir in the remaining 1 cup milk, heated to lukewarm, the all-purpose flour, the salt, and the yolks, beat the mixture for 1 minute, and let it rise, covered with the plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk and bubbly. In a bowl beat the cream until it holds soft peaks and fold it into the batter. In a metal bowl beat the egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks and fold them into the batter gently but thoroughly.
• Heat a griddle or large skillet over moderate heat until it is hot, brush it lightly with the additional melted butter, and spoon tablespoons of the batter onto the griddle, spreading them to form 3-inch rounds. Cook the blini for 1 minute on each side, or until the undersides are golden. Transfer the blini as they are cooked to a platter and keep them warm, covered with a kitchen towel. Make blini with the remaining batter in the same manner, brushing the griddle lightly with the butter as necessary. The blini may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the blini, covered with foil, in a 350°F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are warm, or microwave them on a microwave-safe plastic wrap, at high power (100%) for 2 minutes, or until they are warm.
• Arrange 3 or 4 blini on each of 18 small plates, top them with some of the sour cream, and arrange some of the caviar decoratively on the sour cream.