Equipment
Ingredients
Herring Topping
- 125 g smoked herring in oil, drained
- 60 g celery heart, finely chopped
- 3 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 10 ml lemon juice, fresh
- 60 g plain yogurt, drained
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Base and Garnish
- 10 blini
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 g fresh dill, sprigs
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 171 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 10 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 1 mg
- Potassium
- 56 mg
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Phosphorus
- 25 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 32 mcg
- Water
- 18 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the drained smoked herring into a mixing bowl and flake the flesh into small pieces using a fork.
Add the chopped celery heart, chopped dill, lemon juice, and yogurt to the bowl with the herring.
Stir the ingredients together until the herring is finely flaked and the mixture is uniform in texture. Season with black pepper.
Warm the blini in a skillet over low heat or in an oven at 150°C (300°F) until just heated through.
Place a small spoonful of the herring mixture onto the center of each warm blini.
Top each blini with a radish slice and a small sprig of dill, then serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the smoked herring is well-drained; excess oil can make the topping greasy and unbalanced.
- For the best texture, don't overmix the herring topping. You want distinct flakes of fish, not a paste.
- Warm the blini gently; overcooking can make them tough or dry. They should be just warm enough to complement the cool topping.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Smoked herring can vary in saltiness, so the pepper and lemon juice might need tweaking.
- For a more elegant presentation, consider using a small piping bag to dispense the herring mixture onto the blini.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store the herring topping separately from the blini in an airtight container.
Reheating: Warm blini separately before topping; do not reheat the herring mixture.
Troubleshooting
Topping is too runny or watery
Cause: Herring oil or yogurt liquid was not sufficiently drained.
Fix: Fold in a small amount of additional thick yogurt or more flaked fish to absorb excess moisture.
Prevention: Thoroughly drain the herring in a mesh sieve and use thick, strained yogurt.
Cultural Context
Blini are small, savory pancakes traditionally associated with Russian culture, often served during Maslenitsa (Butter Week) as a symbol of the sun. While traditionally topped with caviar or smoked salmon, this recipe offers a unique take using smoked herring, a common and affordable fish in Eastern European cuisines.
