Blini with Black Lentil “Caviar”
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Lentils.org

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Blini with Black Lentil “Caviar”

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour

Servings: 2 dozen blini with topping

Spiced lentils make a tasty, economical alternative to pricey caviar – and look surprisingly similar on tiny pancakes with a dollop of crème fraiche. The recipe is easily doubled to feed a larger crowd.

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Recipe by

Lentils.org

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Ingredients

Directions

Nutrition

Ingredients

  • Blini:
  • 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
  • ¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda
  • ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
  • 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
  • 1 large egg canola oil, for cooking
  • Lentils:
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • ½ cup (125 mL) black (Beluga) lentils
  • 1 cup (250 mL) chicken or vegetable stock or water
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar, or to taste
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • crème fraîche or sour cream, for garnish
  • chopped fresh chives or dill, for garnish

Directions

  1. WHISK together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and egg; add to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined.
  2. HEAT a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom and spoon in enough batter to make a 1 ½-inch (4 cm) blini pancake. Cook until golden on the bottom, then flip with a thin spatula and cook until golden on the other side. Set aside on a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
  3. MEANWHILE in another large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the carrot, celery, and green onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add the lentils and stir to coat with the butter and oil, then pour in the stock, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
  4. STIR in the balsamic vinegar and set aside to cool. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
  5. TOP blini with a smear of crème fraîche and a small spoonful of lentils. Top with a few snipped chives or some chopped fresh dill.

Nutritional Information

  • Serving Size: 1 blini with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) lentil caviar and 1 tsp (5 mL) crème fraiche.
  • Per serving:
  • Calories 80
  • Total Fat 4 g
  • Saturated Fat 1 g
  • Cholesterol 15 mg
  • Carbohydrates 7 g
  • Dietary Fibre 1 g
  • Sugar 1 g
  • Protein 2 g
  • Sodium 140 mg
  • Potassium 65 mg
  • Folate 11 mcg

Tags

www.lentils.org