Caviar Bump with Blinis

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It’s the trend that’s taking over the world, with seemingly every restaurant now offering some sort of Caviar ‘upsell’ to their recipes. Perhaps it’s gone a little overboard at the moment. These Caviar Bumps are super overpriced at restaurants, so we’re showing you how to make your very own homemade Caviar Bump. Our version sticks to the way Caviar should be eaten. So behold, our Caviar Bump with Blinis recipe!

The Caviar Bump is a worldwide Craze

Caviar was once excluded to only the finest restaurants in the world, and even then it was rare they would appear on menus. Caviar has in recent times experienced a renaissance of sorts, with all kinds of restaurants of different cuisines offering a ‘Bump’ of Caviar on their menus

For the pure people out there, the notion of a Caviar Bump plays into a drug taking reference. To take a ‘bump’ of Cocaine is a common phrase used. So, I guess that idea translated to food. I really do hope that people understand that a Bump of Caviar is to be eaten however, and not snorted up your nostrils!

The craze is somewhat out of control these days. With Caviar being paired with some of the most ridiculous dishes for the sake of either making money, or for that ‘Instagrammable Moment’

We’ve seen some ridiculous dishes getting Caviar added such as Rice, and even Steak! Completely pointless to pair Caviar with such rich flavors, and honestly just a bit of a waste of money if you ask us. Our preferred choice of consumption is a Caviar bump with Blinis; delicious, pillowy pancakes and finished with a dollop of Crème Fraiche. Perfect!

Why is Caviar so popular, and so expensive?

Caviar is considered a delicacy amongst food aficionados. It’s salty, briny taste is most sought after as a refreshing treat, usually toward the beginning of a meal. It has quite a subtle, nuanced flavor. So, it is best paired with ingredients that don’t overwhelm the Caviar, instead complement it

Caviar is both a rare ingredient, and one that is difficult to harvest. Caviar are the fish eggs (called Roe) from Wild Sturgeon. Traditionally the Caviar is farmed from these fish in the Caspian and Black Sea

The fish are harvested only at the right time of the year, and the yield is minimal for how much work and effort is involved. Given there is also such a high demand for Caviar, this combination of scarcity and demand creates excessively high prices. Generally speaking, the rarer the Caviar, the more expensive the price!

For those looking for big, bold flavors, Caviar is probably not for you

Caviar has a subtle flavor. Salty, Briny, and sometimes just a little bit sweet. It is a delicate flavor that can easily be overpowered by other ingredients. If you are looking for a mouthful of food that will completely blow your mind with flavor, Caviar is likely not the choice

However, if delicate flavors of the sea with a beautiful texture is what you are after then Caviar is right up your alley. Think of Caviar similarly to how you would Oysters, or a well made Crudo. Clean flavors that taste light and refreshing. That’s what enjoying a good Caviar Bump with Blinis is all about!

Do not use Silver Cutlery when eating Caviar

The Caviar reacts very poorly to Silver, and other metals when it touches it. Essentially the Caviar will absorb some of the flavor, and take on quite an unpleasant metallic taste

Instead, the preferred way to eat Caviar is to use non-metal kitchenware. The most popular utensil is specifically designed Caviar Spoons, which are made from Mother of Pearl shell. Literally it’s a spoon made from the lining of the Mother of Pearl shellfish

For those of you who aren’t planning on eating Caviar often enough to justify buying unique cutlery for it, another great alternative is simply to use a wooden spoon. They can be easily found in most supermarkets. Or just save one the next time you order some takeout where you get about 50 of them added to the bag!

The Blinis role is purely to be a subtle vessel to transport the Caviar from the tin, into your mouth

Blinis are basically tiny pancakes. They’re a perfect vessel to hold the Caviar because they do not necessarily have a lot of flavor, so they allow the Caviar to shine. They add a bit of body to the bite too, so you’re filling up a bit while eating. Which is probably good because if you’re super hungry and just eating Caviar by itself it’ll be gone quickly!

Our Blini recipe is super simple. All Purpose Flour, Milk, Egg, and Salt. That’s all you need. Their consistency is a bit thicker than a typical Crepe (LINK), but not as thick as those big Pancakes you would get for breakfast. The thickness of the Blini all comes down to the Flour to Milk ratio. ¾ cup of Flour to ½ cup of Milk should do it!

What type of Caviar should I buy

This is a tough question to ask because in our experience eating Caviar, just because it is the most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the best. Or more specifically, it doesn’t mean it will be your favorite

Like all foods, Caviar is a personal preference so our advice would be to research a little bit before you make the big purchase. There are specific delis and shops that specialize in selling Caviar, and often they hire quite knowledgeable staff who can help guide you through the process

They will typically ask what kind of flavor profiles you prefer (eg: super Salty, more subtle, briny, sweet) and based on your feedback they’ll guide you to a few different choices

Our advice would be to purchase some cheaper Caviar in smaller quantities and, if possible, get a variety of different types. That way you can mix and match and see which is your favorite Caviar!

Caviar comes in individual tins ranging from 20 grams all the way up to massive 1kg tins. We’d recommend starting with the 20g tins to see what you like before venturing into some serious wallet burning territory!

Caviar Bump with Blinis Recipe

Ingredients

• 20g good quality Sturgeon Caviar
• 2 tbsp. Crème Fraiche
• ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
• ½ cup Whole Milk
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• ½ tsp. Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. To make the Blinis combine the Flour, Milk, Egg, and Salt into a bowl. Mix well to combine all the ingredients to form a smooth Batter
2. The batter consistency should be runny, however have some resistance to it. If it is too thin, add a little more flour. If too thick, whisk in a little bit more Milk
3. Place a large Frying Pan over a medium and melt about 1 tsp. of Butter. Once melted, pour individual portions of Batter into the pan, about the size of a quarter in diameter. Fit as many as you can into the pan without them touching each other
4. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for a further 1 minute until beautiful and golden brown on both sides
5. Remove the Blinis from the heat and set aside to cool. You should serve your Blinis cold with the Caviar. Repeat the process for the remaining Batter
6. Open the tin of Caviar by using the back of a spoon to pop the tin open
7. To create the Caviar Bump with Blinis, place a small amount of Crème Fraiche on each Blini then finish with a spoonful of Caviar
   
   

Note: Do not use Metal spoons when handling the Caviar as it will ruin the flavor. Instead, use a wooden spoon or Caviar Specific Mother of Pearl Spoons when handling Caviar

Delicious dishes to try alongside the Caviar Bump with Blinis recipe

We hope you have enjoyed the delicious Caviar Bump with Blinis recipe and are now hooked on Caviar! Sorry to say it can become quite an expensive addition! We love eating Caviar as part of a delicious Seafood Feast. Try pairing it alongside some of these amazing raw Seafood dishes and create a show stopping Seafood Platter:

• Homemade Tuna Tartare
• Shrimp Cocktail
• Best Sauce for Oysters
• Spot Prawn Ceviche with Garlic and Chili
• Raw Scallop Ceviche
  
  

Happy Cooking!