This Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice recipe is a shameless copycat of a signature appetiser at the trendy Nobu restaurant. Bite size crispy rice is served with tuna in a creamy spicy dressing. I love it. It’s expensive. So I copied it. And added a canned tuna option too.

Nobu copycat: Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

There’s no feel-good story behind today’s recipe. It’s just a blatant fact that I really love the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice at Nobu* which is a signature starter of this globally renowned restaurant. But you pay through the nose for it – $30 for a very small serving. Here it is at Melbourne Nobu – top quality phone snaps! 😂

* In case you’re not familiar with Nobu, it’s a trendy modern Japanese restaurant founded by world-famous chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa that is now global with a presence in major cities like New York, Tokyo, London, Dubai, Sydney. Won’t lie – I’ve had hits and misses in various cities. But overall, it’s very reliable. Firm favourite with celebrities.

Price aside, I don’t want to go to Nobu every time I want to have it. So I decided to copy it. It seemed like a simple enough recipe – and it is! Crispy rice topped with raw finely chopped tuna mixed with a creamy spicy dressing.

Nobu vs my version

At Nobu, the rice is served in small cube form which you stab with (fancy) toothpicks then dip into the tuna which is so finely minced it is like a spread. Based on the perfect golden colour on each side of the rice cubes, I suspect they are deep fried.

I’ve made my rice cakes flatter so they can be pan fried instead of deep fried, and pre-assembled with the toppings. I also do not have a dipping sauce because I’ve incorporated seasonings in the tuna toppings.

Plus, I’ve made a canned tuna version as well, as an option you make right now instead of going out to find sashimi-grade tuna! Think – canned tuna fillings in sushi rolls. It’s really tasty! This is the canned tuna version:

What you need

Here’s what you need to make this Nobu copycat Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice.

1. Sashimi tuna or salmon – OR canned!

As mentioned above, the base recipe is a copy-cat of the Nobu version which is made with raw sashimi-grade tuna, Plus, I’ve created a canned tuna version too as an easier make it now version / those who can’t get or don’t like raw tuna. It’s like the canned tuna filling you get in sushi rolls – it’s really tasty!

Sashimi grade tuna – To make the raw tuna version, you will need to get sashimi grade tuna. This is tuna that is fresh enough, handled and stored in a manner suitable for eating raw. It is more expensive than tuna intended for cooking.

Common sashimi tuna types

• Bluefin tuna – the frontrunner, most premium type. For flavour, colour and texture.

• Yellowfin and bigeye tuna (ahi ahi) – The more common type that is more economical. It is softer, not as red.

Canned tuna – Tuna in oil is best. If using tuna in spring water, the mixture is a little drier so perhaps add extra mayo.

2. Spicy creamy dressing & assembling

Here’s what you need to make the creamy dressing and for assembling. The same ingredients are used for both, it’s just that you need more for the canned tuna (lots of little tuna bits = more surface area = more dressing required).

• Kewpie mayonnaise is a Japanese mayonnaise that has a smoother flavour than Western ones. Substitute with whole egg mayonnaise. Normal mayonnaise (ie not labelled “whole-egg”) is tangier / sweeter which will dominate the raw tuna version too much but ok for the canned tuna version.

• Sriracha is a red Asian spicy sauce that has other flavours in it in addition to chilli, such as vinegar and garlic. Substitute with other spicy sauce of choice, but adjust quantity based on spiciness.

  Non spicy option – Ketchup!

• Green onion – For nice green specks and a bit of freshness.

• Sesame oil & seeds – For toasty sesame flavour!

• Lemon – For the canned tuna version, I found a hint of extra tang was desirable. For the raw tuna version, fresh lemon juice made the dressing a little too loose so I stick with using the tang in sriracha.

• Avocado – Optional (and not in Nobu’s version), but I really like how it adds an extra creamy element. If avocado is not in season or pricey, I’d skip it.

Crispy rice

All you really need for the crispy rice is sushi rice, oil for cooking and salt for seasoning. But it makes it extra tasty to flavour the rice with sushi rice seasoning – just rice vinegar and sugar.

See the separate crispy rice recipe for commentary on the ingredients.

How to make Nobu’s crispy rice with spicy tuna

The crispy rice cakes has been published as a separate recipe – because it’s deemed worthy as such! It’s really easy – cook rice, press in pan, chill to set, cut, pan fry.

So the steps below are for the topping and assembling.

1. Nobu spicy tuna topping

Tip: Raw fish is hard to finely dice because it is so soft. To make it (much!) easier, partially freeze the fish first to make it firmer. Just 30 minutes in the freezer.

1. Partially freeze the raw tuna (or salmon) in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will make it much easier to cut.

2. Cut into small 0.5cm / 1/5″ dice. To do this, I slice 0.5cm / 1/5″ thick pieces, then 0.5cm / 1/5″ strips, then dice.

3. De-chill the fish for 20 minutes or so, so it’s not ice-cold. Sushi tastes best when at room temperature which is around 18C/65F. Small diced tuna will de-chill fairly quickly.

4. Mix – Add the mayonnaise, sriracha, green onion, sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt. Mix gently to combine. Then refrigerate until required. But remember to aim for the room temperature for serving! Warm crispy rice cakes with ice-cold tuna isn’t ideal.

Creamy canned tuna topping

1. Mash the drained canned tuna with a fork until it’s really fine. The finer the better.

2. Add everything else and mix!

3. Assembling the crispy rice cakes

Nobu serves this as a DIY set up with cubes of rice that is speared with fancy toothpicks then dunked into the spicy tuna which is almost in paste-like form. I like to assemble for an easy finger food option.

Also, cubes of rice either need to be turned 6 times in a pan (what a pain!) or deep fried (what a pain!). Pan frying 2 sides of a flatter pieces is so much less effort!

1. Cook the rice cakes after you’ve mixed the toppings. See directions in the crispy rice cakes recipe.

2. Avocado – Place on a serving platter and top with avocado slices. You can either use 1 large, or fan out smaller pieces as I have done. You could also pipe on avocado sauce – a good option for speedy assembling if making big batches.

3. Shape – Use 2 teaspoons to shape a mound of the topping into a “football” shape so it sticks together.

4. Assemble – Place tuna on avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, top with jalapeño. Repeat with remaining rice cakes. EAT!

I see you making this for friends who come round for Saturday night drinks. Impressing the pants off your friends at book club. For your mum’s birthday lunch.

And just generally because you want to eat Nobu in the comfort of your own home, in trackies and your favourite slouchy t-shirt, and feel smug that it cost you around…oh I don’t know. About 80% less? At least!! – Smug Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Crispy rice with spicy tuna (Nobu copycat)

Recipe video above. A shameless copycat of a signature Nobu restaurant appetiser – crispy rice cakes with tuna or salmon in a creamy spicy dressing. Easy to make at a fraction of the cost – they charge $30 for a minuscule serving! Serve as a canapé, starter for dinner or as a main with an Asian side salad or smashed cucumbers.

The original uses raw tuna but I've also created a canned tuna version – think, sushi roll filling.

Course Appetizer, canape, Finger Food

Cuisine Asian, Modern Asian

Keyword crispy rice cakes, crispy rice finger food, nobu recipe, tuna canape

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Rice chilling (minimum time) 4 hours hours

Servings 15 pieces

Calories 119cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 batch crispy rice cakes (15 pieces)
• ONE topping of choice (below) – Nobu sashimi tuna or canned tuna
• 1 avocado , cut into small thin slices (or make avocado sauce)
• 15 jalapeño slices , thin, optional garnish
• 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds , for garnish

Nobu spicy tuna (raw):

• 225g / 7oz sashimi grade tuna , or salmon (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp sriracha , adjust spiciness to taste (Note 2)
• 4 tsp kewpie mayonnaise (Note 3)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp cooking salt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds , divided

Creamy spicy canned tuna topping:

• 360g/12oz canned tuna in oil , drained (Note 4)
• 3 tbsp sriracha (Note 2)
• 4 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise (Note 3)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (sub rice vinegar)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
• 2 tsp white sesame seeds , optional
• 1 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds , divided

Instructions

• Start the rice the day before or first thing in the morning – it needs minimum 4 hours to chill.
• Make the toppings first, then refrigerate while you cook the crispy rice cakes.
• Cook the crispy rice cakes and sprinkle with salt per the recipe.
• Assemble – Place rice cakes on a serving platter. Pile on toppings – I use teaspoons to make football shapes then slide on. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, top with jalapeño. Eat!

Nobu spicy tuna topping:

• Freeze to firm – Place tuna in the freezer for 30 minutes to partially freeze – it's much easier to finely chop when slightly firm.
• Cut into 0.5cm / 1/2" cubes – the smaller the better! Place into a bowl and let it de-chill for 20 minutes (not as nice ice-cold).
• Mix – Add everything into the tuna and mix until combined.

Creamy canned tuna (sushi-roll filling style):

• Place tuna in a bowl and use a fork to mash it up really finely. Add everything else and mix well.

Notes

Makes 15 pieces 4 x 6.5cm/ 1.5 x 2.5″ (crispy rice dimensions).

1. Tuna or salmon – As the fish is served raw, please ensure you get sashimi grade tuna which is extra fresh, handled and stored in a manner suitable for eating raw. It will be labelled as such at the shops. You can also get frozen sashimi grade fish these days. It’s snap deep-frozen at -60C and suitable for eating raw. I’ve gotten it from Japanese supermarkets in Sydney (Tokyo-mart, Northbridge).

2. Sriracha is a red Asian spicy sauce that has other flavours in it in addition to chilli, such as vinegar and garlic. If you’re worried about spiciness, start with less (top up with more mayo) then add add more later if you’re brave! Non spicy option – Ketchup!

Substitute with other spicy sauce of choice, but adjust quantity based on spiciness.

3. Kewpie mayonnaise is a Japanese mayonnaise that has a smoother flavour than Western ones. Substitute with whole egg mayonnaise. 

4. Canned tuna – in oil is best. Springwater tends to be a little dry.

5. Leftovers – Once assembled, rice cakes will soften within an hour. The raw tuna topping should be eaten within an hour once out of the fridge, though will keep in the fridge for the day. Canned tuna topping mixture will keep for several days. Makes a little more than you need – eat leftover as dip or on sandwiches!

Nutrition per rice cake (15 pieces)

Nutrition

Calories: 119cal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Life of Dozer

Crispy rice cake size context.

The post Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice (Nobu) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Blinis are mini pancakes that make perfect finger food for passing around at a party. Top with dill crème fraîche and smoked salmon for a timeless, elegant canapé that never fails to impress!

Blini with smoked salmon

If there is ever a time to get a little fancy, New Years’ Eve would be it. Break open the bubbles, toast the new year in…….. and let’s make a canapé that will impress the pants off your friends: BLINIS!

Blinis with smoked salmon are a hors d’oeuvre that often appears on the menu of caterers and function venues a-like. And the reason is simple: it’s a classic that everybody loves. It’s elegant. It’s easy to make in large volume.

And it isn’t hard to make at all. They’re just mini pancakes with a smear of crème fraîche and a bit of smoked salmon plonked on top. No big deal!

What’s the difference between a pancake and blini, actually?

OK, time to clarify that blinis are more than just a mini form of your favourite breakfast pancake. And blinis are not a breakfast item, they are used to make canapés / hors d’oeuvres. They make great finger food because of their size. One bite wonders!

Unlike regular pancakes, blinis are made with yeast rather than baking powder so they are softer and more delicate. And blinis are made with buckwheat flour which gives it the signature slightly nutty flavour.

Though I think buckwheat flour is essential for blinis – for flavour – you can still make great blinis using baking powder instead of yeast. Read on to find out how!

Ingredients in blini

Here’s what you need to make traditional blini.

Want a no-yeast version? See the information box below!

• Dry yeast (aka active dry yeast) – This is the yeast that comes in small foil packets, as pictured below. I’ve also included an information box below with some extra information on dry yeast vs instant yeast (comes in tubes, yes you can use it), how to make blini with baking powder instead of yeast!

• Buckwheat flour – This is what makes blini a blini instead of just a mini pancake! It’s actually gluten-free and gives the blinis a distinctive nutty flavour. If you skip it, your blinis will be pretty bland. So – don’t! Find it in the baking aisle or health food aisle of grocery stores.

• Plain flour (all-purpose flour) – Just our everyday flour. Buckwheat provides the flavour. Normal flour is needed so the blini has the desired texture and fluffiness without resorting to xanthum gum and other ingredients you ordinarily need when making breads with gluten-free products like buckwheat flour.

• Milk – Full fat ordinary cow milk. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with low fat milk but I am not sure it will work using non-cow milk (like almond milk).

• Sugar – Required for both a touch of sweetness in the blini as well as activated the yeast to make it foamy (it feeds the yeast to wake it up to make it foamy!).

• Butter – Just a small amount to add a touch of fat and flavour into the blini.

• Egg – This is what binds the blini together. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it combines easily with the other ingredients.

Can I make blini without yeast?

Yes, you can! Well, it obviously won’t be traditional blini but it’s still very tasty, 85% similar to the real deal. The big upside is that it’s speedier to make because there’s no batter rising time!

To make blini without yeast, just make my pikelets recipe which uses baking powder instead of yeast as the rising agent. However, use 50/50 plain flour and buckwheat flour instead of just plain flour.

You will likely need to thin the batter a tiny bit so it spreads into the blini rounds in the pan (because buckwheat flour is slightly more absorbent than plain flour). The blini is also not quite as soft due to using baking powder rather than yeast. But the flavour is remarkably similar!

Ingredients for blini topping

As you can imagine, there’s all sorts of topping possibilities for blinis. But today, we’re going with a firm favourite – smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche!

Smoked salmon

Smoked salmon is sold in packets pre-sliced into thin slices. Smoked trout is also perfect to use here.

Homemade beetroot cured salmon or salmon gravlax would also be ideal! They taste different to smoked salmon because they are not smoked. And they have fresher flavours from the respective flavourings used. But they have the same texture as smoked salmon – and are cheaper to make too, with fresh flavour you cannot buy!

Dill crème fraîche

• Crème fraîche – Think of this as a slightly richer sour cream, because that’s exactly what it tastes like. Which means, yes, sour cream is a near perfect substitute and it’s more economical. Sour cream just has a slightly less rich mouthfeel (because it has less fat). To be 100% honest, I don’t think most people could tell the difference.

• Cream cheese – This is a little thicker than crème fraîche so it prevents the mixture from becoming too runny. We want it to be spreadable, like softened butter.

• Dill – Not a primary ingredient here, we just use 2 teaspoons of finely chopped dill. So it’s not a deal killer if you can’t find it. Just leave it out, or substitute with chives or parsley.

• Lemon juice – For a touch of tang, we only use 1 teaspoon. So like the dill, not a deal killer if you don’t have fresh lemon. Just use a vinegar instead.

How to make blinis

We’re really just making mini pancakes here. No big deal! The trickiest part is pouring neat rounds. But if yours come out wonky, who cares? Once you pile on the toppings, no one will notice! And it certainly doesn’t affect the delicious-factor.🤷🏻‍♀️

1. Activate yeast (ie foam it up)

First up, we need to activate the yeast. This just means waking it up by mixing it with warm water.

1. Mix yeast with warm water and sugar until mostly dissolved. Some lumps floating on the surface is fine, it will self-dissolve.

   WINTER tip – If you’re in a cold environment, warm up the bowl before use by running it under hot water then wiping dry, or popping it in the microwave for a minute. This will help keep the mixture warm so the yeast becomes foamy. We’re only using a small amount of water here which will cool quickly if your kitchen is cold, and the yeast may not foam up.

2. Foam it! Cover with cling wrap then leave it in a warm place for 10 minute or until the surface becomes foamy. Meanwhile, prepare the other blini ingredients and topping!

   No foam appearing? Move it to a warmer place. Still not foaming? Sorry, but it sounds like your yeast is dead! Have another go, but if it still doesn’t become foamy, it’s time to replace your yeast!

3. Foamy! This is what it looks like once the yeast is activated and makes the water foamy.

2. Make and proof blini batter

Once the yeast is activated, we can move on to make the blini batter.

1. Dry ingredients – Mix the buckwheat flour, plain flour, salt and remaining sugar in a bowl.

2. Wet ingredients & foamy yeast – Add the milk, butter, egg and the foamy yeast then mix until combined.

3. Rise 1.5 hours – Cover the bowl in cling wrap then place it in a larger bowl filled with 3 cm / 1.2″ of warm water. This helps keep the batter in a warm cosy environment to make it rise.
   

4. Foamy – Then put the bowls in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until it doubles in volume and the surface is bubbly and foamy. This is what it will look like.

   And yes, excessive use of the word “foamy” in today’s post has been noted! Let’s hope this is the end of it. 😂

3. Cook blini

We’ve got 35 of these little pancakes to cook. But the good news is, they only take 1 1/2 minutes per batch!

1. Piping bag or jug – Mix the batter to deflate and make it smooth. Then pour into a piping bag fitted with a 4mm (1/6″) round piping tip, or snip a 6 mm / 1/4″ hole in the end once filled (this is what I do).

   The alternative to a piping bag is to use a pouring jug. However, I find it easier to use a piping bag to make neat rounds.
   

2. Snip end (if no nozzle) – As referred to above, if you don’t have the right size piping tip, snip a 6 mm / 1/4″ hole once filled. This will form a round opening that is 4 mm (1/6″) wide.

3. Cook 1 1/2 minutes – Place a large non stick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, remove pan from stove, spray lightly with oil then return to stove.

   ⚠️ SAFETY WARNING: Do not spray a pan with oil while it is set on a turned on stove else you risk a fire blaster situation! REMOVE the pan away from the fire, spray, then safely return to the stove.

   Pipe 2.5 cm / 1″ rounds so they spread to 4cm / 1.7″. Cook the first side 45 seconds to 1 minute or until it has golden spots in the middle and has the signature gold Blini “ring” around it. Flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds.

4. Cool – Transfer to a rack. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel (so the next batch won’t be too brown). Spray lightly with oil again, set over the stove then continue cooking blinis.

Storing: Blinis are best made on the day of serving (make in morning then serving that evening is fine). We tried keeping them in the pantry, fridge and freezer overnight but they were all a little less fresh than ideal the next day.

To get ahead, you can make the blini batter the day before then refrigerate overnight and cook the blini on the day-of which is pretty quick given they only take 90 seconds a batch! I’ve included directions for making the batter the day before in the recipe notes.

4. Assemble blini

We are so tantalisingly close to finishing these delicious little morsels!

I know you’re impatient (oh wait, is that just me??!), but please ensure your blinis are fully cool before assembling. Otherwise the creamy dill spread will melt!

1. Dill crème fraîche – Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. This can be done ahead of time, even the day before. Just refrigerate until required, then mix before use to make it smooth, like softened butter, so it spreads easily onto the blini.

2. Spread a little of the dill crème fraîche on a blini.

3. Smoked salmon – Top with a small slice of smoked salmon, slightly coiled so it sits up prettily.

4. Dill sprig – Then, given we’ve come this far, we may as well finish it off with a little sprig of dill for a touch of fresh green colour!

Transfer your beautiful little blinis onto a platter, litter with some extra dill and lemon wedges for garnishes, pop open that bubbly and enjoy!

It is worrying how many of these I managed to inhale on one sitting when I filmed them. Oh, and also when I photographed them (yes, a different batch). Ummm, and yes, memories of all those test batches we did (instant yeast, active dry yeast, making the batter the day before, the blini-pikelet version, no buckwheat, no plain flour)…..

Yes, I’ve certainly had more than my fair share of blini in the past few weeks. Face is, anything you can eat with one hand while clutching a wine glass with the other rates very highly in my world.

That these are so elegant and make me feel a little classy is an added bonus. It’s not often I share a canapé like this. So let me have this one! 😂 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Blini with smoked salmon

Recipe video above. Blini isn't blini unless it's made with yeast and buckwheat flour which adds a lovely nutty flavour to these mini pancakes! But if you are desperate and don't have yeast, see Note 8 for how to make blini without yeast.

Top with smoked salmon and dill crème fraîche (or sour cream) for an elegant, timeless canapé that never fails to impress. (Makes 35 though depends on number of test blinis, there are usually casualties)

Course Appetiser, canape, Finger Food

Cuisine European, Western

Keyword blini, smoked salmon appetizer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Proving time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 35

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Blini:

• 3 tbsp warm water
• 1/2 tsp dry yeast (Note 1 re: instant yeast)
• 3/4 tsp white sugar
• 1/3 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• 1/3 cup buckwheat flour (Note 2)
• 1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/3 cup milk , full-fat, warm
• 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted and cooled
• 1 large egg at room temperature, lightly beaten (Note 3)
• Canola spray , for cooking

Dill crème fraiche:

• 125 g / 4 oz cream cheese , softened
• 3/4 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream) (Note 4)
• 2 tsp fresh dill , finely chopped (sub chives, parsley)
• 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1 pinch white pepper (sub black pepper)

Topping:

• 300 g / 10 oz smoked salmon (or trout) slices (Note 5)
• Extra fresh dill , for garnish

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Blini batter:

• Foamy yeast 10 min – Warm a small bowl by running under warm water, then wipe dry. (Note 6). Mix the warm water, yeast and 1/4 tsp of the sugar in the bowl until yeast is mostly dissolved (some small floating lumps ok). Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes until the surface is foamy.
• Mix dry – With a wooden spoon, mix both flours, salt and the rest of the sugar in a separate medium bowl.
• Add wet – Stir in milk, butter, egg and all the foamy yeast mixture. Mix well until incorporated. It will be runny like pancake batter.
• Rise 1 1/2 hours – Cover with cling wrap and set in another larger bowl filled with 3cm/1" of warm water (to create a cosy, warm environment for batter rising). Let the batter rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it doubles in volume and has bubbles breaking the surface.

Cook blini:

• Piping bag – Stir batter before using. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with 4mm (1/6") round piping tip (or snip a 6 mm / 1/4" hole in the end). Tie off the piping bag end with a rubber band (loosely, as batter keeps expanding).
• Spray pan with oil – Place a large non stick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, remove pan from stove, spray lightly with oil then return to stove (⚠️Note 7)
• Cook – Pipe 2.5cm / 1" rounds that spread to 4cm / 1.7" in the pan. Cook the first side 45 seconds to 1 minute or until it has golden spots in the middle and has the signature gold Blini "ring" around it. Flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds.
• Cool – Transfer to a cooling rack. Wipe pan briefly with a paper towel, spray with oil and heat again. Continue cooking blinis, taking care to keep the pan at the right temperature.

Assembling blini:

• Cool blini before assembling.
• Dill crème fraîche – Mix ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until required.
• Smoked salmon – Cut into 4 x 5 cm pieces (1.5 x 2")
• Assemble – Spread 3/4 teaspoon of dill crème fraîche on a blini. Coil on a piece of salmon, top with dill. Transfer to a larger platter. Use lemon wedges and extra dill as platter garnishes, if desired. Serve with bubbles and wine!

Notes

1. Dry yeast comes in individual sachets. Open and measure out 1/2 teaspoon. 

Instant yeast is sold in cans (here in Australia). It can also be used (same amount) but is a little stronger so the blini will be a little thicker than intended but it’s not a major issue. To use instant yeast, no need to foam in warm water. Just mix the instant yeast with the flours, all the sugar and salt. Then mix in the warm milk and warm water, proceed with recipe.

2. Buckwheat flour has a nutty flavour and is what sets blini apart from being just a plain mini pancake. It’s sold at large supermarkets, in the health food aisle or alongside baking flour. 

3. Large egg = 55 – 60g / 2 oz. Labelled “large eggs” on carton (industry standardised).

4. Crème fraîche is like sour cream but taste richer, and is spreadable like softened cream cheese. A popular ingredient with finger foods that need a dollop of something creamy!

Sour cream makes an ideal substitute that is more economical and easier to find. It has a slightly less rich mouthfeel, but not by much. Please do not use low-fat! It’s too runny.

5. Smoked salmon is sold in packets pre-sliced into thin slices. Smoked trout is also perfect to use here!

You may not need the whole amount, but some are sliced thicker than others so they don’t go as far. Better to err on the side of caution.

6. Warm bowl – yeast needs a warm environment to get foamy. Small amount of warm water + cold bowl = water may cool too quickly and yeast will not get foamy (especially if your kitchen is cold). Warming the bowl will help avoid this problem.

Not foaming? Move to a warmer place. Still not foaming? Your yeast may be dead. Try again…. if still not working, time to get new yeast! Blini emergency? Make tiny pikelets using buckwheat flour (uses baking powder not yeast).

7. Oil spray caution – never spray a pan set over fire with oil spray. If you miss, it might catch on fire – dangerous!

8. Don’t have yeast? Make blini using my pikelets recipe, amended as follows:

• Switch half the plain flour with buckwheat flour for the signature nutty flavour of blini
• Leave out the sugar
• Cook one test blini. If batter is too thick (which is likely), thin with a touch of milk.

9. Storage – Blini is best made on the day of (morning then serve that evening at latest). Because they are so small, they go stale quite quickly (even if you refrigerate or freeze), but they are still within the bounds of acceptable the next day.

Once cooked, as soon as they are cool, store in an airtight container until required.

Blini batter can be made the day before then stores in fridge overnight so you can cook fresh the next day (they’re quick to cook). Do to the end of step 4 (ie after 1.5 hour rise) then put bowl in fridge overnight.

Dill crème fraîche can be made the day before. Assembled blini will last for a few hours but bear in mind food safety for keeping smoked salmon out on hot days!

9. Nutrition per blini.

Life of Dozer

He only got this one cause I dropped it on the floor. No blini for Dozer! Too precious! 😂

The post Blinis with smoked salmon appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This Creamy Feta Dip will save you on all those days you need something fast but fabulous to take to gatherings! I love that it’s also low budget and can be made in advance. The dip toppings really make this, so don’t skip them!

Serve with lightly toasted bread or pita, else for a healthy and colourful take, with crisp raw vegetables (aka crudités).

Creamy Feta Dip

If you’re ever in need of something quick but homemade to break out at a gathering, this Creamy Feta Dip will save the day. All you do is blend feta, cream cheese, a smidge of garlic, lemon zest and olive oil in a food processor, then spread it on a plate and sprinkle/drizzle with toppings.

It all just takes a lazy 30 seconds. How easy is that??

No food processor? No worries! Just use a stick blender instead.

What you need

Here’s what you need to make this Feta Dip.

1. The dip itself

• Danish feta – The type of feta I’m using today is called “Danish feta” here in Australia (also called “Danish white”). It is different to the well-known traditional Greek feta because it has a creamy rather than crumbly texture. This is what makes it ideal to use for making this feta dip because it’s comes out ultra smooth with very little blitzing!

  Crumbly Greek feta works fine and is probably more authentic to use if you’re aiming for a traditional Greek mezze dip. But just be aware that the dip will end up with faint graininess to it no matter how long you blitz for. The only way to remove it is to pass it through a fine mesh strainer. Honestly, so much easier just to use Danish feta!

• Cream cheese and olive oil – These add a bit of extra fat for smoothness and richness to the dip. I find that using feta alone is a little too briney and sharp, for my taste.

• Garlic – Just a little bit, 1/4 teaspoon, as the flavour of raw garlic in this is actually quite harsh! I thought left overnight it would soften and meld with the other flavours better but it didn’t. So I hold back quite a lot on the garlic in this recipe!

  I use a garlic press – quick and easy. If you don’t have one, you can grate the garlic using a microplane or “smear” finely minced garlic to make a paste using the side of a knife. If making a paste, reduce to 1/8 teaspoon (as paste is more intense than using a garlic press).

• Lemon zest – Adds a bit of bright lemon flavour. It’s optional, but I really do think it adds a little something.

• Salt – You’d think the salt in the feta would be enough, wouldn’t you? And perhaps for some it is, but I think it needs a touch more. Just add this in at the end so you can adjust to taste.

2. Toppings

Here are the toppings I’ve chosen. This dip is a blank canvas for experimenting with toppings, though! I’ve offered some other suggestions below.

• Honey – The hero topping! The combination of sweet honey with salty cheese is a classic cheeseboard flavour pairing so it comes as no surprise that it works extremely well with Feta Dip too. Don’t hold back on the honey! Trust me. Alternative: Maple syrup

• Olive oil – For extra richness, and also for visuals. Beautiful puddles of golden olive oil dappling the white dip surface just looks so appealing.

• Pistachios or other nuts of choice. I love pistachios for flavour and for their lovely green colour. Almonds, walnuts, macadamia and hazelnuts would also work well.

• Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes – Just a pinch, for a hint of warmth!

• Lemon zest – Optional, for an additional final sprinkle of fresh lemon. If I’m long on lemons, I’ll add it. But more often than not these days, I seem to have fruit bowls filled with white zest-less lemons!

• Parsley – Honestly, I just add a pinch of a bit of extra green colour. Consider it entirely optional! For flavour, coriander/cilantro or mint would be fabulous, roughly torn and scattered over.

More topping options

There are few dips in this world with so many topping possibilities! Some suggestions: maple syrup, other nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia, pepitas, sunflower seeds), dried fruit (cranberries, sour cherries, apricots), olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes or other pickled things, cilantro/coriander.

How to make feta dip

This is a hard one….. you’re sure you’re ready for it??? Dump and blitz! 😉

1. Blitz – Put everything except the oil in a food processor and blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. It will take 10 to 20 seconds if you’re using creamy Danish feta, as the recipe calls for. It can take a few minutes if you’re using crumbly Greek feta.

2. Olive oil – With the motor running, slowly pour the oil in through the feeder, then blitz for a further 10 seconds on high until it comes together into a smooth creamy dip.

3. Spread in shallow bowl – Scrape out and spread the dip in a very shallow bowled plate or a normal plate so it’s around 1.5 cm thick (0.6″). We want a good amount of surface area here so every scoop has a nice ratio of toppings to dip!

   Dents & swirls – Make big dents/swirls across the surface of the dip using the back of a dessert spoon. No need to channel your Picasso within, once it’s covered in toppings no one can tell if you’ve created art or a total random mess with your swirls (latter for me!). We just want nice big dents for pools of honey and olive oil to settle in.

4. Toppings – Drizzle and sprinkle with toppings. Then that’s it! You’re done. Ready for dunking and scooping!

What to serve with Creamy Feta Dip

My favourite thing to serve the dip with is thick slices of baguette warmed in the oven. I don’t even toast it until golden, I just pop the bread in the oven to warm it up. Other carb options include:

• Lebanese bread, cut into wedges – an excellent low-cost option (and fast to do, just stack and cut with a knife)

• Pita or other flatbreads cut into pieces

• Ritz or other crackers of choice

Then of course, if you prefer to bring on a riot of attractively bright colour while enticing people to eat their greens, you could assemble a big raw / par-cooked vegetable platter for the Feta Dip. That’s crudités, for the posh among you. Me, I will always call them veggie sticks! – Nagi x

PS. I know I’ve pitched this as a excellent express party food. But everybody knows it’s just as perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons, with just you, the sun, a book and a glass of your favourite wine in hand.

Watch how to make it

Print

Creamy Feta Dip

Recipe video above. This will save you when you need something fast, low-cost but a little different to take to gatherings! Serve with slices of bread, crackers of vegetable sticks served up on a big platter that everyone will dive into.

Course Appetiser, Dip, Party Food

Cuisine Mediterranean, Western

Keyword dip, feta dip, Party Food

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 234cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Creamy Feta Dip:

• 400g / 10 oz Danish feta , at room temp (ie. the creamy sort, not crumbly Greek sort, Note 1)
• 125g/ 4 oz cream cheese , at room temp, full fat (Note 2)
• 1/4 tsp garlic , crushed using garlic press (Note 3)
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest , optional
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Toppings (Note 4 for subs):

• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp pistachios , roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp parsley , finely minced
• Pinch of chilli / red pepper flakes , optional
• Sprinkle of lemon zest , optional

Dipping options – choose:

• Thick slices of bread , warmed
• Lebanese , pita or flat bread wedges
• Crackers
• Veggie sticks (ie crudités)

Instructions

• Feta Dip: Place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Blitz on high for 10 seconds or until pretty smooth, scraping down the sides once. (You could also use a stick blender, but a stand mixer will not work)
• Olive oil: With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feeder then blitz until the dip is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Spread on a shallow bowl-plate / regular plate so it's around 1.5cm / 0.6" thick. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls for the honey and oil to pool in.
• Drizzle over the honey and olive oil. Sprinkle with pistachios, parsley, chilli and lemon. Serve immediately with dippers of choice!

Notes

1. Danish feta is a type of feta that is smooth, more like cream cheese. It’s a different texture to crumbly Greek feta, but with a similar briny salty flavour. It blends to make a 100% smooth dip. Greek feta works too but you’ll end up with a faintly grainy texture (and you will need to blitz for a few minutes). The only way to make it 100% smooth is to strain it. Not a deal breaker, it’s still tasty and creamy!

2. Cream cheese – Yogurt and sour cream also work but cut them down to 1/3 cup.

3. Garlic – The taste of garlic is really prominent in this dip so don’t go crazy with it even if you’re a garlic lover like me! If you don’t have a garlic press, use a microplane or similar to make a garlic paste but reduce to 1/8 tsp. You can also use the side of a knife to smear chopped garlic into a paste.

4. Other topping options – This dip will go with so many things! Think: cheeseboard and mezze items. Maple syrup instead of honey, other nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia, pepitas, sunflower seeds), dried fruit (cranberries, sour cherries, apricots), olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes or other pickled things, cilantro/coriander. 

5. Keeps 3 days in the fridge without toppings. Top just before serving as the dip will start to perspire after around 30 minutes.

6. Nutrition per serve assuming 10 servings, no bread etc included.

Nutrition

Calories: 234cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 659mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

A typical day in Life of Dozer these days – mornings vs evening:

MORNING

EVENING! Book talk at a cocktail party event at Dymocks bookstore in Sydney city on Wednesday 26th October as part of my cookbook tour. More details coming including the menu of food we made!

The post Creamy Feta Dip – quick, easy, thrifty appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Introducing the world’s easiest party starter – Baked Brie! This is how how you transform a good value brie into a spectacular brie. It’s like the best cheese dip you will ever have!! An excellent option for a shared entree or party food that’s super quick and easy to prepare that has wow factor. 

Serve with crostini or crackers (try these homemade fruit & nut crackers!).

Baked Brie

Baked Brie is, quite simply, the best melted cheese in the world. When you cut through the rind and the inside comes pouring out like lava, you’ll forget all your troubles. It’s like cheese-aholic heaven!

But cheese addiction aside, here’s the practical reason why Baked Brie needs to be on your radar:

It’s the world’s easiest appetiser / party starter!

Just pop a brie in the oven for 15 minutes, or microwave it for 2 minutes. Plonk on a platter, add a mound of crispy crackers and watch the hands dive in to do THIS:

And keep pulling up and up….. LOOK AT THIS CHEESE PULL!!!

How to make Baked Brie

I wasn’t exaggerating when I said you just plonk a brie in the oven. But here’s a practical visual for how to make it.

• What to bake it in – use a round, shallow oven proof dish that’s a bit larger than the brie for baking and serving if you have one. It needs to be shallow, otherwise it’s hard to dip/scoop without touching the hot dish; OR

• Place the brie on crumpled paper – this is what I do.This serves 2 purposes:

  • safest way to transfer – Baked Brie is wobbly and delicate, and it would be a tragedy if that Baked Brie burst open mid transfer……

  • the crumpled paper helps stop the brie from oozing out all over the table. Melted brie just needs a little bit of coaxing to stop it from running everywhere!

Baked Brie Practical Tips!

• Best Brie for Baked Brie – Use an economical brie or camembert! Expensive brie would be wasted on this recipe, in my opinion, though it does work just as well with top end as it does budget brie.

• How long it stays gooey – in a ceramic dish, it will stay scoopable for a good 15 minutes or so. On paper, around 10 minutes, then for another 10 minutes or so you can smear it on with a knife.

• How to reheat – seconds in the microwave! A whole brie takes 2 minutes in the microwave, so use that as a baseline for leftover brie.

• Leftovers – AMAZING! The honey / maple syrup will be mixed through when the cheese hardens and it just makes it all the more delicious. Who cares if you have to scrape up the dregs and pop into a small ramekin? OR pile it onto toast and grill! *She swoons at the thought*

Baked Brie is how you get gourmet flavour using a good value brie!

What goes with Baked Brie

Baked Brie is best served with sturdy crackers for scooping up the molten cheese – avoid chips and those wafer thin crackers for serving with cheese as they aren’t strong enough.

And while brie is rich enough and the cheese itself is flavoured enough so that even a plain Baked Brie is amazing, a simple (generous!) drizzle of honey or maple syrup certainly wouldn’t go astray. Sweet honey and the rich, savoury brie goes brilliantly and adds another dimension that takes it from OMG this is sooooo goooood!

Add a a simple bunch of grapes to the serving platter (fruit + cheese is classic, plus just looks good!), and your impressive easy appetiser is complete and ready to wow your family and friends!

“When you cut through the rind, the inside comes pouring out like lava. It’s like the best cheese fondue you will ever have.”

What did that take? All of 2 minutes effort on your part. Unwrap the brie, bake or microwave it. Open packet of crispy toasted bread (or make your own), plonk a bunch of grapes on the side. And voila! Your party starter is ready to impress your family and friends.

Make this once, then come join me at Cheese-aholics Anonymous! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Print

Baked Brie

Recipe video above. The world's fastest finger food, this is like the best cheese dip in the world with wow factor! Just pop a brie in the oven for 15 minutes or microwave on high for 2 minutes (seriously, no one will EVER know). Use a budget brie or camember for this, top end brie would be wasted on this recipe.

Excellent shared entree or party food that's really quick and easy to prepare. Be sure to use sturdy plain or flavoured crackers, or crostini for scooping. Wafer thin crackers and chips tend to break.

Course Appetizer, Starter

Cuisine Western

Keyword baked brie

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 6 – 10

Calories 161cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 250 – 500g / 8 – 16 oz round brie or camembert (good value is fine! Note 1)
• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
• 1 thyme sprig (optional)

For Serving:

• Crostini or other sturdy crackers
• 1 bunch purple grapes (or green, optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
• Unwrap brie and place in a small, shallow ovenproof dish slightly larger than the brie (to be used for serving) OR a piece of crumbled baking / parchment paper (for transference). (Note 2)
• Oven: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (for 250g/80z), or until melted through. For 500g/1lb brie, increase to 25 minutes. To check, gently touch the centre of the brie – it should feel very soft, like it is about to collapse if you press any harder.
• Microwave option: 2 minutes on high (no one will know!) in 30 second increments.
• Carefully transfer to serving plate / board – it's delicate (transfer on paper if you used paper).
• Drizzle with honey, top with sprig of thyme (if using).
• Serve immediately with crostini on the side for scooping. Provide a knife to cut through the rind and a cheese or pate knife (or similar) to scoop cheese up onto crostini or crackers (plain or fruit/nut flavoured).

Notes

1. Brie –I recommend using an economical brie for this. This recipe works just as well with budget brie as it does top end. If I splurge on expensive brie, I serve it as is because I think it’s a waste to alter it! Camember also works.

2. Baked Brie Baking dish – the most practical way to bake / serve brie is if you have a shallow round ovenproof dish that is slightly larger than the brie. This will stop the cheese from oozing out everywhere when people start eating it but it needs to be shallow otherwise you’ll burn your fingers trying to scoop it!

If you don’t have one, do one of the following:

• very shallow bowl or curved plate – the shape of which will hold the cheese in (ovenproof if baking, microwave proof if microwaving ie most normal dinner plates fine); OR
• bake on crumbled paper per recipe directions – the paper makes it easy to transfer the Brie to a serving platter (Baked Brie is delicate and wobbly like jelly, and if it bursts you will cry). Plus by crumpling it, it actually (mostly) stops the cheese from oozing out onto the table (but really, you won’t be short of willing participants to dash forward and scoop up brie that’s oozing dangerously close to the edge of the serving platter!)

3. Over baking – check the brie at 15 minutes. If you can’t tell if it is ready by touching the surface of the centre of the brie, insert a skewer and if it comes out with melted cheese stuck to it, then you know it is ready. (If you overtake a brie, it goes hard in the middle)

4. Serving size – a 250g/8 oz brie will comfortably serve 6 people, if not 8 to 10. Brie is rich, and it’s made to seem even richer when melted. And also once melted, less goes further – the amount you can scoop onto a cracker is less than what you can cut & smear if it was not melted!

5. Honey / maple – I use both, it depends what I have on hand. I used to love maple more, but when I have a really good (local) honey, I prefer honey.

6. How long it stays gooey – in a ceramic dish, it will stay scoopable for a good 15 minutes or so. On paper, around 10 minutes, then for another 10 minutes or so you can smear it on with a knife. 

7. Leftovers – AMAZING! The honey / maple syrup will be mixed through when the cheese hardens and it just makes it all the more delicious. Who cares if you have to scrape up the dregs and pop into a small ramekin? OR pile it onto toast and grill! *She swoons at the thought*

How to reheat – seconds in the microwave! A whole brie takes 2 minutes in the microwave, so use that as a baseline for leftover brie. 

8. Nutrition per serving (assumes 6 servings, 250g/8oz brie, excludes crostini)

Nutrition

Serving: 38g | Calories: 161cal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 63mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg

Originally published November 2014, updated with new photos and recipe video in October 2019, refreshed again in 2021. No change to recipe!

Life of Dozer

When the treat jar is so close…yet so far… (and so empty…?)

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The post Baked Brie appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.