A decadent yet approachable appetizer. Follow this easy guide for how-to serve caviar and you’ll be serving opulent dinner parties or dinner-for-two in no-time.
Caviar always felt a bit out of reach for my budget and taste until one day Kia and I went out to celebrate his 35th birthday at The Plumed Horse in Saratoga. We started out with champagne and when we saw it on the appetizer list, feeling celebratory, we went for it. It was served straight from the jar accompanied by perfectly pillowy yet crispy blinis (Russian pancakes), a gorgeous plate of chives, shallots, and créme fraîche. Salty, savory with a fish taste, and smooth. I was immediately hooked.
Some prefer to eat caviar straight from the jar, nothing else. While I can appreciate a small taste this way, I much prefer it when combined with other flavors. Furthermore, serving caviar with blinis and condiments brings me back to the celebratory dinner we enjoyed together so it’s also a bit of nostalgia for me. I found a great blini recipe by Bon Appétit and that’s what I use with a few modifications. If you are new to caviar or seasoned taster of this delightful dish, here are some tips for serving caviar at home.
How to Serve Caviar: Where to Buy Caviar, and How Much is Enough?
Unfortunately due to it’s price, purchasing caviar can feel out of reach. However, I found a solution for special occasions. Whole foods sells Tsar Nicoulai farm raised California sturgeon caviar for reasonable prices and they always have a 40% sale around the New Year and Valentine’s day. There are different grades of caviar with prices to match their quality. I find the Estate grade from Tsar Nicoulai has a great taste for my budget. If you have a larger budget, Osetra sturgeon caviar is said to be the most sought after for this delicacy. Furthermore, Costco sells caviar year-round at their more affordable prices although it’s also larger servings.
Unless you plan on hosting a large crowd, I recommend purchasing no more than 1 oz at a time as once the jar or tin is opened, it needs to be consumed within 24 hours. A 1 oz jar is the perfect size for 4 people.
How to Serve Caviar at Home
Keep it Chilled. Firstly, always keep the caviar on ice to ensure it stays safe to eat and should be kept between 32°F -38°F. Fill a small bowl with crushed ice and place the caviar jar in the center.
Finely chop. Secondly, in order to fully enjoy the texture of the sturgeon eggs, chop the herbs as small as the caviar.
Make Blinis in Advance. Feel free to make the blinis ahead of time and refrigerate. Then, when you are preparing the appetizer, simply place in the oven at 350°F for 3-5 minutes. You can also purchase blinis versus making your own, they are typically located in the same refrigerated section as the caviar.
Health Talk
Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor. I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I have a passion for health and cooking and my hope is to bring you information that will help you live a health-filled life.
There is no arguing that this appetizer is on the indulgent side, high in fat and cholesterol. I do not recommend making this a frequent choice in your diet. Please reserve this recipe for special occasions.
That said, by replacing highly processed white flour with whole wheat and rye, as well as removing the sugar from the blini recipe altogether, it is a healthier version than traditional blinis. Whole wheat flour contains a good level of fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Unfortunately, refined white flour loses almost all of these benefits, so choose whole grain instead of white flour.
One spoonful of caviar completes a full day’s supply of omega-3 fatty acids – an essential fatty acid only derived from food sources. Other good news, the omega 3 found in caviar improves mood. Caviar is also high in selenium and vitamin B12, which support your immune system, plus boosts cell health and growth. Additionally, caviar is high in iron which improves energy, and assists the function of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. For more information about the health benefits of caviar and whole wheat, see the bottom of this post.
Furthermore, when serving a more decadent appetizer such as this, follow it with a more healthful meal. A great option is Mushroom Barley Stew with Chestnuts, or with fish and a side salad such as zucchini ribbon salad with zesty lemon dressing.
Equipment
- Chef’s knife
- Medium mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk or stand mixer
- Large pan
- Spatula
Caviar with Whole Wheat Blinis
- Prep Time: 2 hours 10 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Russian
Description
A decadent yet approachable appetizer. Follow this easy guide for how-to serve caviar and you’ll be serving opulent dinner parties or dinner-for-two in no-time.
Ingredients
For the Blinis:
- 1 Tbsp starter or 1/2 tsp active-dry yeast
- 80g whole wheat flour
- 20g dark rye flour
- 1/4 C whole milk
- 3 Tbsp butter, divided
- 2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
For the Caviar and Condiments:
- 1 oz caviar of choice
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 oz créme Fraíche, sour cream, or greek yogurt
- 1/2 bunch chives
Instructions
For Blinis (makes approximately 36):
- In a medium-sized bowl, add 1 Tbsp starter (or 1/2 tsp active-dry yeast + 1 Tbsp warm water – let rest for 10 minutes until dissolved). Add 80g whole wheat flour, 20g rye flour, 50g warm tap water, and 1/4 C whole milk. Mix until well combined.
- Separate eggs. Add the yolks to the batter mixture and stir. Set egg whites aside at room temperature for later use.
- Melt half the butter (2 Tbsp) and mix into the batter. Add 1/8 tsp salt and mix until combined.
- Cover bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let stand 2 hours or until you see tiny bubbles appear at the surface.
- Beat egg whites using a whisk or stand mixer until stiff peaks form – you should be able to tilt the bowl without the foam slipping.
- Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. Do not over mix, you want the air bubbles to stay intact.
- Heat a dry pan on medium for 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp butter and begin cooking the blinis using 1 Tbsp scoops. Flip them when you start to see bubbles forming. Should take about 1 minute on first side, then flip and cook another 30 seconds.
For Caviar and Condiments:
- Keep it Chilled. Firstly, always keep the caviar on ice to ensure it stays safe to eat. Fill a small bowl with crushed ice and place the caviar jar in the center.
- Finely chop. Secondly, in order to fully enjoy the texture of the sturgeon eggs, chop the herbs as small as the caviar.
- Plating. Plate the condiments however you like. The blinis are best served slightly warm as they melt the créme fraíche slightly so I keep them on a separate serving plate.
- Assembling. Starting with a plain blini, add a dollop with créme fraíche, sprinkle with chives and shallots, then top with a hefty scoop of caviar. Enjoy!
Notes
Make Blinis in Advance. Feel free to make the blinis ahead of time and refrigerate. Then, when you are preparing the appetizer, simply place in the oven at 350°F for 3-5 minutes. You can also purchase blinis versus making your own, they are typically located in the same refrigerated section as the caviar.
Consume any unused caviar within 24 hours of opening and keep between 32°-38°F at all times.
Unused blinis may be frozen. To defrost, just place in an oven at 350 for 5 minutes or until warm.
Keywords: Caviar, blini, blinis, whole wheat, créme fraíche, appetizer, Russian,
Resources
For more information about the ingredients in this how-to serve caviar, including health benefits, visit:
Healthline, Whole Wheat 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
WebMD, Tips for Reaping the Benefits of Whole Grains
Global Seafoods, Is Caviar Good? The 5 Health Benefits of Caviar
WebMD, Can Caviar Cure Depression?
