Ham and Green Coral Blini Sandwiches : IHCC

"Sandwich Sensations!", our theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). I think most of us love sandwiches, burgers or wraps. They make a great meal for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. I was looking through Donna Hay's website, and found this wonderful blini recipe that makes a delicious sandwich.

The original name of this sandwich is Smoked Chicken and Fennel Blini Sandwiches, which uses smoked chicken slices and young baby fennel. I do not have both these ingredients and have replaced with sandwich ham and green coral leaves instead. 

First, make the blinis. Very simple and easy, these are actually a thicker and bigger version of pancakes. The recipes uses plain flour with a little amount of buckwheat flour, but I have used all plain flour instead. Mix the dry ingredients, flour, salt, yeast in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and sour cream (I used homemade yoghurt) until lukewarm and whisk in the egg yolks. Stir into the dry ingredients, and keep covered with a damp tea towel in a warm place for 30 minuts until bubbles appear on the surface. The egg whites are then whisked to soft peaks and stirred into the mixture to combine. Grate two garlic cloves and add that to the mixture, mixing it well. Heat a saucepan, lightly greased, and scoop about 1/3 cup, spreading the batter into a round. Cook until bubbles appear on surface, flip blini over, and cook the other side. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

I have made double the amount of recipe for the blinis, and got me 5 large blinis (about 18cm diameter).

Prepare the mayonnaise spread. Mix the mayonnaise (I use the regular mayonnaise) with grated lemon zest in a bowl. Both my kids and myself, love this mayonnaise-lemon zest mixture! It is so good, I would use this combination when I use mayonnaise for sandwich the next time! Smells so lemony nice!

To assemble the blini sandwiches : Spread a generous amount of the mayo-lemon mixture on one blini, place some salad greens over, top with some sliced deli ham, and sprinkle some shredded basil leaves over. Top with another piece of blini over.

Ham and Green Coral Blini Sandwiches

Slice to quarters and serve. This is so delicious! If you have not tried the combination of mayo-lemon zest, do give it a try. The blinis are soft-tender, very tasty and has a light fragrance from the garlic, which is really very pleasant, a great addition for a savoury touch. Though I have not used any fresh fennel, as it is not always available here, the green coral works very well, I guess, any green veggies that works in a salad would be great. I wanted to add some sliced cucumbers, but I have forgotten to buy them, only realised that when I reached home from the supermarket!

Overall review : A delicious blini sandwich. My kids and myself, we had a most delicious lunch! Yum!

note : my changes in blue
Smoked Chicken and Fennel Blini Sandwiches
(adapted from Donnahay.com)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 quantity basic blini mixture, (see basic blini recipe)
1/4 cup (75gm) whole-egg mayonnaise
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1 baby fennel, thinly sliced (green coral leaves)
1/2 cup basil leaves
1x160gm smoked chicken breast fillet, sliced (sandwich ham slices)
1/4 cup chopped chives
lemon wedges, to serve

Fold the garlic through the blini mixture. Heat a lightly greased non-stick 18cm-frying pan over medium heat. Spoon half of the blini mixture into the pan and spread to cover the base. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until golden. Repeat with remaining blini mixture. Allow to cool.

Place the mayonnaise and lemon rind in a bowl and stir to combine. Spread one of the blinis with the mayonnaise mixture and top with fennel, basil, chicken and chives. Sandwich with the remaining blini, cut into wedges and serve with lemon. Serves 4.


Basic Blini
(adapted from Donnahay.com)
2/3 cups (100gm) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1/4 cup (35gm) buckwheat flour, sifted (plain flour)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
1/3 cup (80gm) sour cream (homemade yoghurt)
1 egg, separated

Place the plain and buckwheat flours, salt and yeast in a bowl and stir to combine. Place the milk and sour cream in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until lukewarm. Add the egg yolk and whisk to combine. Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Whisk the egg white until soft peaks form, add to the mixture and stir well to combine. Heat a lightly greased, large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook teaspoonfuls of the mixture for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool. Makes 30.

To see what everyone are having for breakfast, drop by IHCC. You might just be inspired to join us! For more details about joining in, click here.

And I'm sharing this post with :
See Ya In The Gumbo @ Ms. enPlace
Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen