I made these for Valentine’s Day but quickly decided they’re perfect for any small gathering, cocktail hour, brunch, or just to snack on. I put a southern twist on original bilinis by making these with cornmeal and buttermilk. The maple creme fraiche makes them pancake-like, and the smoked trout atop brings together that perfect happiness of sweet and savory. They’re a breeze to make and can be stored in the fridge until ready to assemble.
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for thinning
1 egg
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Smoked Trout filets - torn into pieces
Microgreens - for garnish
In a medium bowl, add the flour, cornmeal and salt and whisk together. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and egg. Whisk all ingredients together until completely combined. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter - if it’s too thick, thin it out with more buttermilk.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with butter. When butter starts slightly smoking, use a mini scoop - aka a cookie scoop - (If you don’t have one a tablespoon will work) to make mini pancakes on the skillet. When the batter starts bubbling at the top, about 1 to 2 minutes, flip the bilinis and cook for another minute.
Let bilinis cool. Mix together the creme fraiche, maple syrup, and lemon zest. Smear each bilini with a heavy dollop of creme fraiche, top with a piece of smoked trout and microgreens.
** Tip: Refrigerate any leftover bilinis. Heat in the microwave for breakfast and top with maple syrup or jelly.