Smoked Salmon Blinis

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the milk and egg yolk. Whisk until smooth.

Beat the egg white until it forms soft peaks. Fold the beaten white into the batter.

Brush a large nonstick frying pan with a little oil and heat over medium heat. Add well-spaced teaspoons of the batter to the pan. Cook about 2 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip the blinis and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until the undersides are browned.

Top each blini with a spoonful of crme frache, a twirl of smoked salmon, a pinch of pepper, and a sprig of dill. Arrange on a platter and serve, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Variation:

Smoked Salmon Corn Cakes:

Substitute this mixture for the blini batter: sift ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup yellow cornmeal, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of cayenne together into a bowl. Add 2/3 cup heavy cream and 2 large egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, 2 tbsp melted butter, and 2 tbsp chopped chives. Mix well, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Cook as above.