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Buckwheat Pancakes

These are my English blini, adapted from the Russian recipe of my childhood made in an English kitchen. Earthy but light, thanks to the use of both whipped egg whites and yeast, they should be drizzled with melted butter and eaten with smoked fish (see the Cured Mackerel), chopped dill and soured cream. Freshly ground black pepper is a must. They could also be eaten with Bacon and Apples or perhaps a little thin slice of dry-cured beef, in which case serve with chopped spring onions and a little melted butter.

Serves 4–6

125g/4½oz brown buckwheat flour

250g/9oz fine white flour (if you want gluten-free pancakes, you could use rice flour)

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

30g/1oz fresh yeast

1 teaspoon caster sugar

450ml/¾ pint lukewarm milk

3 eggs, separated

2½ tablespoons soured cream

2½ tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for brushing

To serve:

smoked fish of any sort

fried mushrooms

chopped dill

300ml/½ pint soured cream

175g/6oz butter, melted

Put the flours in a bowl with the salt and leave in a warm place. Mix the yeast with the sugar until it breaks down to a paste, then add the milk. Leave for about half an hour, until the yeast is activated and a foam forms on the top. Make a well in the centre of the flours and pour in the yeast mixture, beating as you go. When you have a smooth batter, leave the mixture to rise for about 1½ hours, covered with a tea towel, until doubled in size.

Beat in the egg yolks and fold in the soured cream and melted butter. Leave in a warm place for 20 minutes. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then very carefully fold them into the bubbly pancake mixture. You do not want to break down the bubbles made by the yeast.

Heat a flat griddle or pancake pan and brush with a little melted butter; it should be hot but not smoking. Drop a tablespoonful of the mixture on to the pan and cook until bubbles rise to the surface and pop. Flip the pancake over and cook until puffed. Do not allow the pancake to burn – keep the heat steady. You should be able to cook 3 pancakes at a time in an average-sized pan. Keep the pancakes warm in a bowl lined with a tea towel, or eat them as you go, with any of the accompaniments listed above, finishing with chopped dill, a dollop of soured cream and a little melted butter drizzled on top.