Buckwheat

Buckwheat is one of those ingredients everyone has heard of but few could tell you what to do with. Originating in Russia and Asia the plant is relatively new to our diet and only came to western Europe in the late middle ages.

Buckwheat flour is generally available in health food shops and is a useful store cupboard staple. In France, and Brittany in particular, it is very easy to source as it is used for making savoury crepes.

For savoury crepes just use a standard pancake recipe (2 eggs, 250g Flour, 450ml Milk) but substitute buckwheat for most or all of the flour in the recipe. Cook the pancakes as thin as you can and fold them with ham, eggs, smoked bacon etc.

In the US you will find buckwheat used for both sweet and savoury pancakes and the slightly smoky flavour works particularly well with blueberries.

Blinis are the classic yeast based pancake to be found in Russia and Eastern Europe. This is one of those things everyone should know how to make for the day somebody brings a tin of Caviar to your house. I know this is unlikely to happen for at least a decade given our current woes, but you never know.

Blinis are probably even better with smoked salmon, especially for breakfast, and at least that is something we can all afford.

Blinis
250g Buckwheat Flour
1 packet Instant Yeast (or 15g fresh yeast)
250ml Water (lukewarm)
250ml Milk (lukewarm)
2 eggs, separated
1tbs melted butter
Smoked Salmon, Caviar (optional)
Sour Cream or Crème Fraiche

Mix the yeast with the water, 125g flour and 125ml of milk, cover and allow to ferment for 1½ hours. Beat the egg yolks with the remaining flour and milk and add the melted butter and a pinch of salt. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Allow to stand for half an hour.

Heat a pan and add a small dab of butter until sizzling. Add a ladleful of pancake mix to the pan and cook on both sides for approx. 60 seconds. Each blini should 3-4 inches in diameter. Stack and keep warm

Serve with smoked salmon and sour cream (or crème fraiche) or try some inexpensive lumpfish caviar. Of course if you know a rich banker you could steal some of their caviar stash.