Chardonnay, Marlborough, Marlborough, New Zealand, New Zealand Wines, New Zealand wines, Pinot Noir, Sparkling wines
Blini with Smoked Salmon and Wasabi Cream
Sep
An Elegant Start to September’s Apéro
A wine from New Zealand kicks off this September in style: the Whitehaven “Samantha” Cuvée from Marlborough, a Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wine aged on the lees for 37 months, which offers exactly the delicacy that little buckwheat blinis deserve. The batter rises in just over 30 minutes, is fried in a hot pan until golden brown and light and fluffy, and then topped with a spicy-fresh wasabi cream, tender smoked salmon, red onion, and dill. It’s a dish perfect for the first balmy late-summer evening on the patio or for a festive get-together at the start of fall—simple to prepare, yet every bit as sophisticated as a classic aperitif.
Ideal wine pairing: Whitehaven Cuvée Samantha, Sparkling Wine (Marlborough, New Zealand)
“Méthode Traditionnelle” refers to the classic bottle fermentation process—the same labor-intensive technique that gives Champagne its depth. Whitehaven, based in Marlborough, dedicates this cuvée to Samantha White, the daughter of company founder Greg White, who helps shape the winery’s legacy today. Chardonnay from Paul’s Road in Rapaura and Pinot Noir from the Little Alfred Vineyard in the Omaka Valley were hand-harvested at low sugar levels, fermented separately, and blended with 5 percent reserve wine from 2018. After the tirage, the wine aged on its lees in the bottle for 37 months—a maturation period that surpasses that of many non-vintage champagnes. In the glass, it displays a pale straw-yellow color with fine, even perlage. On the nose, citrus blossom and crisp green apple open the bouquet with freshness and vibrancy, before notes of biscuit and yeast autolysis add depth and warmth. On the palate, the wine is refined and elegant, dry, with lively freshness and a gentle creaminess; the finish is long and cleansing. It is precisely this combination of acidity, biscuit notes, and creaminess that highlights the smoky depth of the salmon, while the fine perlage cleanses the palate after every bite.
The recipe:
Blini with Smoked Salmon and Wasabi Cream
Equipment
- 1 Rührschüssel
- 1 Blini-Pfanne oder kleine beschichtete Pfanne
- 1 Pfannenwender
- 1 Spritzbeutel (optional für die Crème)
Ingredients
FOR THE BLINIS:
- 100 g Buckwheat flour
- 50 g wheat flour
- 1 1 teaspoon dry yeast
- 1 A pinch of sugar
- 200 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 Egg separated
- 1 A pinch of salt
- Butter for frying
FOR THE WASABI CREAM:
- 100 g Crème fraîche
- 1 Teaspoon of Wasabi Paste to taste
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- Salt
FOR REFERENCE:
- 150 g Smoked salmon in strips
- Fresh dill
- Black caviar or trout caviar optional
- Red onion finely diced
- Lemon zest
Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Combine the buckwheat flour, wheat flour, dry yeast, and sugar in a bowl.
- Stir in the lukewarm milk and egg yolk, and mix until the dough is smooth.
- Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold them into the batter.
- Mix the crème fraîche with wasabi paste, lime juice, and salt, then chill.
COOKING STEPS:
- Melt a small amount of butter in the blini pan over medium heat.
- Spoon one tablespoon of batter into the pan at a time and shape into small, round blinis.
- Bake for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbles form and the bottom is golden brown.
- Turn it over and bake for another minute.
- Let the finished blinis cool on a rack, then repeat with the remaining batter.
SERVE:
- Arrange the blinis on a serving platter.
- Place a small dollop of wasabi cream on top of each one.
- Arrange the strips of smoked salmon on top.
- Garnish with a dollop of caviar, red onion, and dill.
- Finish with a little lemon zest.
- Serve the Whitehaven Samantha Cuvée well chilled at 8 °C.
SIDE DISHES:
- Mixed Leaf Salads with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Roasted almonds for snacking
- Fresh baguette with butter
Nutrition
