Chive Blini Recipes

Steps:

• Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup milk, and sugar in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over.) Add 1 1/4 cups milk and rice flour, whisking until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sponge rise in a warm place until bubbly, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, sour cream, 2 tablespoons butter, and remaining cup milk in a bowl.
• Whisk yolk mixture into bubbly sponge, then add all-purpose flour and sea salt, whisking until smooth. Stir in chives.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold into batter. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Put a buttered large baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 200°F.
• Brush some of remaining butter onto bottom of a 10-inch nonstick skillet and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1 cup batter and cook until underside is lightly browned and surface is covered with holes, about 2 minutes. Turn over with a wide spatula and cook until golden on bottom and puffed, about 1 minute more. Brush top with some melted butter, then transfer to buttered baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil and keep warm in middle of oven. Make 5 more blini in same manner (you'll have 2 extra), stacking them on baking sheet in 2 piles with sheets of foil between blini.

CHIVE BLINI WITH CREME FRAICHE, QUAIL EGGS, AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Coarsely chop enough tarragon leaves to make 6 tablespoons, and set chopped leaves aside. Reserve remaining sprigs for garnish. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add 1 teaspoon salt. Add scallions, and cook until bright green and just tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tarragon leaves, and cook until bright green, about 20 seconds; immediately transfer scallions and tarragon to the ice-water bath. Let cool completely.
• Drain scallions and tarragon, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel. Coarsely chop, then transfer to a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add mustard. With machine running, add oil in a slow, steady stream; process until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in creme fraiche. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 2 days).
• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Place a dozen eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to the ice-water bath, and let cool. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining eggs. Peel eggs, dipping them in cold water if needed to remove shell pieces. (Peeled eggs can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight.)
• Pick 4 dozen small leaf clusters from remaining tarragon sprigs; set aside. Halve eggs lengthwise. Arrange blini on a platter. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon sauce in center of blini. Top each with half an egg, 1/4 teaspoon roe, and a tarragon cluster.

CHIVE BLINI

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl; let stand in a warm place until foamy, about 7 minutes.
• Stir together flour, chives, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
• Stir together yogurt, butter, sugar, and egg yolk in a large bowl; whisk in yeast mixture and then flour mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place 30 minutes.
• Beat egg white until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Heat a medium nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Drop scant tablespoons batter into skillet, working in batches of 6 or 7. Cook until bubbles form on surface, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then flip; cook until golden, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more. Transfer blini to a parchment-lined baking sheet.