Potato Blini, Smoked Trout, Dill, Creme Fraiche
Best for: Small, elegant bites with a practical make-ahead topping.
Tender little potato pancakes make a welcoming base for smoky trout and cool creme fraiche. They bring a dressed-up touch to New Year’s Eve while still feeling like something from a family kitchen.
Grill: Griddle or cast iron over medium heat, approximately 350°F surface temperature. Equipment: Saucepan, potato masher, bowls, griddle, small spatula.
Ingredients
30–35 Minutes Cool: 1 hour–1 hour 5 minutes. Total: 1 Hour–1 Hour 5 Minutes.
- 8 oz peeled Yukon Gold potato, diced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon fine table salt
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided for the griddle
- 6 oz commercially prepared fully cooked hot-smoked trout, refrigerated, skin and bones removed
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
Directions
Cover the diced potato with water, bring to a boil, and simmer 10–12 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly, mash smooth, and cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk flour and baking powder in a bowl. Stir egg, milk, and salt into the potato, then fold in the flour mixture to make a thick spoonable batter.
Preheat the griddle. Stir lemon juice into creme fraiche and flake the fully cooked trout, checking carefully for small bones; refrigerate both toppings.
Brush the griddle with part of the oil and drop level tablespoon portions of batter, spreading gently into 2-inch rounds. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden and set throughout, without wet batter inside.
Repeat in batches, adding the remaining oil as needed, to make about 24 blini. Let them stop steaming before adding cold toppings so the cream stays in place.
Top each with about 1 teaspoon lemon creme fraiche, a little trout, and dill. Serve promptly, assembling only the quantity needed and keeping spare toppings at 40°F or below.
Grilling tip: A tablespoon measure keeps the pancakes small enough to pick up comfortably in one or two bites.
Shared safety notes: Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb cook to 145°F with at least a 3-minute rest. Ground pork and other ground red meats cook to 160°F; poultry to 165°F. Cook seafood thoroughly, using the specified temperature and opaque-flesh cues. Keep hot party food at 140°F or above and cold food at 40°F or below. Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F; use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F.
