Blinis with snow crab, homemade mayo and sprouts

By Guillaume Diotte
3 min read
Blinis au crabe des neiges, mayo maison et pousses

Blinis with snow crab, homemade mayo and sprouts

A sign of the arrival of spring, crab fishing is always a festive time in our maritime regions. Created by Les Minettes and published in the Cuisiner section of the Caribou magazine website , which showcases Quebec's culinary culture, this fresh recipe will definitely have you dreaming of sunny days! Photo credit: Les Minettes

For the blinis*

  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 cup of wheat flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs (separate the whites from the yolks)
  • 1 tbsp butter

For the sour cream and chive mayo

  • ⅓ cup of Les Minettes chive mayo
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp chives (chopped)

For the garnish

  • 2 crab sections (see note) (cooked and peeled)
  • ¼ tsp Gorria pepper ** (or Espelette pepper)
  • 1 tsp Sea Bacon (or Dulse) An Ocean of Flavors
  • mustard shoots (or other of your choice, optional)

For the blinis, step 1

  1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

  2. Add the cider vinegar to the milk and set aside at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

  3. Mix the 2 flours and the salt.

  4. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, dissolved yeast, and vinegared milk. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

  5. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm, humid place for 2 hours (in the microwave, for example).

For the blinis, step 2

  1. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter using a whisk.

  2. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in 3- to 4-inch (7- to 10-cm) rounds of batter and cook for about 1 minute, until small bubbles form on the surface of the crepe. Flip and cook for another 1 minute. Set aside at room temperature.

For the mayonnaise

  1. Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream and chives.

For the garnish

  1. On a plate, place a blini and garnish it, in this order:

    · 2 tbsp (30 ml) chive mayonnaise

    · 1 good portion of crab meat

    · 1 pinch of chili pepper

    · 1 portion of sea bacon

    · 1 small handful of sprouts

  2. Serve 1 blini as a starter or 2 to 3 as a main course (adjust the quantities in the recipe for a main course), depending on your appetite.

  3. As a main course, you can serve them with a salad and white rice flavored with a bay leaf.

* Blinis are small pancakes originating from Russia and Ukraine, traditionally made from wheat and buckwheat flour.

** Gorria pepper is the type of pepper used to make the famous Espelette pepper. But since it is under a controlled designation of origin, only the pepper grown in the commune of Espelette, and neighboring communes in the Basque Country, can bear the name Espelette pepper. Here, it is called Gorria pepper and in recent years, several market gardeners have been producing it. Not very spicy (a bit like black pepper), it has a fruity taste and is perfect as a finishing touch to season a dish.

For the crab: To shell a section of crab: Cut the leg lengthwise, on the paler side (this is the softer side), open and remove the meat. For the claws, use a nutcracker) or, using a sturdy knife handle, give a few blows to crack the shell and remove the meat.

For the blinis: If you have leftover cooked blinis, you can freeze them. Simply thaw them at room temperature and microwave them for 15 seconds before serving. Vary the toppings, which can be both savory and sweet.