Lesley Johnston’s Blinis – And What To Do With Them

As a young solicitor, the wisest advice I ever got was from a grizzled surveyor. How much do you reckon that's worth? I asked. The answer came with a kindly twinkle. Are you buying or selling?

So I'll pose a question, and give you a similar style answer. Canapés, yes or no? My response is, are you eating them or making them? At a drinks reception I'm all for them. Many and varied little bites of deliciousness unobtrusively delivered and gone in a flash. But making them? I'd rather cook a four course dinner.

At this time of year, however, the tune probably has to change. If you're having folk round for drinks and providing just crisps and nuts, the response is likely to be, to quote an end of term report card, could do better. Supermarkets will be delighted to help you out. Some of their stuff is fine, but at prices that appal, even if they do throw in the preservatives and E numbers for free. And if you want to go down their blini route, a road I'm indicating today? Online I see a pack of 16 cocktail blinis for £3.25, or 20p each! The photograph shows the number L got from today's recipe.

Let's make them first, then consider how to use them.

Ingredients

115g buckwheat flour; 110g plain flour; 7g fast action yeast; 2 eggs, 1 whole, 1 separated; 360ml milk; 2 eggs; 1tbsp melted butter; oil for frying.

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Add the yeast to the milk, and warm gently. Do not boil. Put the flour and salt in a bowl. (The original recipe I saw tells you to sift the flour - then add any bran left in the sieve!) Make a well in the centre and drop in the whole egg and the egg yolk. Pour the yeasty milk gradually into the flour and mix well to a smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter.

Cover and leave in a warm place for an hour. Just before cooking whisk the egg white and fold into the mixture. (If you're new to this folding malarkey, see my Cake Making for Beginners article from a couple of years ago.)

Heat a heavy frying pan over a medium heat and oil it lightly, wiping off any excess with kitchen paper. Spoon in enough batter to make a blini about 4 - 5cm wide. Obviously you will get several in at once. (Top tip for frying a number of things at once. Always start at 12 o'clock on the pan face and work clockwise, otherwise you may get in a muddle when it comes to turning them.) They are ready to turn when you see bubbles starting to rise. They should be light brown in colour. Pop them on a tea towel and keep covered while you finish the batch.

What next? I should say that L won't be happy with me showing these. Not her best, she said. Look fine to me. And count them. About 70 - 14 quid's worth at Waitrose!

Not only do they freeze well, you can take out just a few as needed and they will defrost in no time. Your base for any number of canapés. They are a little dry on their own. You'll probably need something to spread on them. The more obvious spreads are butter, cream cheese or sour cream, but use your imagination. Consider colour, texture and, of course, flavour. For some toppings you may wish to serve your blinis warm. Take, for example-

Caviar

The most classic of all, served with sour cream. This runs to the budget of very few of us, but you can find all sorts of fish roe to suit most pockets.

Smoked Fish

In Scotland, smoked salmon is probably the most common. Lemon and pepper - who could ask for more? If your fish is really good, little need for more flavouring. Or it may have its own, in the shape of gravadlax, or salmon cured in other ways. Try smoked trout for greater subtlety. For a kick, a little horseradish, or the sweet mustardy dressing beloved of Scandinavians.

Many other types of smoked fish, of course. Mackerel, plain or peppered. Eel, if you can find it.

Fish mousse

These are so easy to make. In addition to our smoked favourites you can use kippers, smokies or sardines as a base. If you feel your topping is a little bland, add a sliver of preserved lemon or black olive.

Pickled or preserved fish

Rollmop herring, for example, or really good quality anchovies (not the heavily salted ones).

Meat

Whatever you fancy. There is a  wide range of good charcuterie, from spicy n'duja to classic salamis or rare roast beef.

Vegetarian

If cheese and pickles were fine for you on a cocktail stick protruding from a grapefruit, no reason why you can't shove them on your blinis. But why not be a little more adventurous? There are so many types of hummus now, or tahini paste, or muhammara.

Toppings on your Toppings

Over and above what we've mentioned, keep your eyes open in your local deli or supermarket. Sundried or semi-dried tomatoes, aubergines in oil or artichoke hearts. If the season is right, salady things for crunch or moisture. Peppery radishes, slivers of pepper or even cucumber. Spreads can include flavoured cheeses such as Boursin. Spreads of mustard or piccalilli.

I could go on but you get the picture. The limits are your own imagination. Even if people pop round unexpectedly, with your box of blinis you can rustle up something impressive without notice.

This is the last Tom Cooks! column of the year. We'll be back in February. Happy entertaining and a very happy Christmas.