Salmon Candy Canapés: Lox, Ikura & Cream Cheese on Buckwheat Blinis

One of our first orders of business upon arriving in Chignik Lake in late summer was to stock our freezers with enough salmon to see us through the coming months. Fortunately, catching plenty of Reds and Silvers was no problem as hundreds of thousands of wild salmon ascend the Chignik River from summer through fall. Although the Sockeye (Red Salmon) roe is somewhat smaller than that of other species, it nonetheless cures into a beautifully translucent ikura that tastes as good as it looks. Coho fillets (Silver Salmon) are our favorites for making lox. Separated by a slice of cream cheese, garnished with a wisp of nori and arranged on a savory buckwheat blini, these appetizers are perfect as Super Bowl party snacks or as pre-dinner hors d’œuvres complimented with champagne or fine sake (酒).
For Great Recipes that have been tested by many thousands of readers, see: ​
A Great Brine & Smoke for Salmon, Trout and Other Fish
​Alaska Lox or Gravlax
Ikura: Curing Salmon Eggs

Buckwheat Blini
Ingredients

• 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• generous pinch salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• additional butter for griddle

​Directions

1. Whisk together flours, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and melted butter.
3. Whisk wet ingredients into dry.
4. Heat griddle and coat lightly with butter.
5. Drop a tablespoon of batter onto griddle. Repeat with additional tablespoons.
6. Cook for about 2 minutes, small bubbles will form on top of blini, like pancakes.
7. Flip blini and cook an additional minute on flipped side.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.