Plant-Based 'Salmon' Blinis

Plant-Based 'Salmon' Blinis

These are the little bites we pull out when we really want to impress people, and honestly they never fail. We're talking fluffy, golden blinis topped with silky cashew cream cheese and plant-based 'salmon' that looks and tastes absolutely stunning. The combination of textures is just brilliant, soft and pillowy underneath, rich and creamy on top, with that smoky, briny flavour that makes you forget it's completely plant-based. We've served these at Christmas, at dinner parties, at 'we just fancied something fancy on a Friday' nights, and every single time the plate is empty within minutes. Trust us on this one, make these tonight and watch people's faces.

Cook: 70 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Food processor
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Frying pan
  • Cashew nuts soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes
  • Carrot ribbons marinated for 60 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 large carrot
  • ½ tsp beetroot juice or the juice from a pack of cooked beetroot
  • ½ nori sheet
  • ½ tsp rice vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 60g self raising flour
  • 100ml almond milk
  • ½ tsp agave syrup
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 155g cashew nuts
  • 30ml water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
  • Juice of 1 lemon juice of
  • ½ garlic clove
  • handful of fresh parsley
  • 3-4 chives

Method

1

Make the garlic and herb cashew cheese

  • Put the cashew nuts in the pan of hot water and boil for 15 minutes until soft and have rehydrated
  • Drain the nuts and tip them into a food processor with 15ml fresh water
  • Whizz for 2 minutes until you have a thick smooth, creamy paste
  • Add the remaining 15ml water, salt, coconut oil and nutritional yeast (you want it thick and gloopy so add water if you need to) and add the lemon juice
  • Whizz for a few minutes until very smooth, scraping down the sides and make sure everything is mixed
  • Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped herbs
  • Roll in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2

Make the "Salmon"

  • Peel the carrots and shave into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
  • Blanch the carrots in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until soft
  • Drain and transfer to a bowl
  • Stir all ingredients for the marinade (oil, beetroot juice, salt and rice vinegar)
  • Finely, cut nori sheet with a sharp knife or scissors and stir into marinade
  • Drizzle marinade on top of carrot slices and make sure that each of tis covered
  • Set aside for 60 minutes
3

Make the blinis

  • Put the flour in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper in a large bowl
  • Make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the milk, agave and oil and whisk until you have a smooth batter
  • Brush a frying pan with oil and, once hot, spoon in the batter using a teaspoon measure, ensuring to leave enough space between each one
  • Let them cook for 2-3 minutes until the surface bubbles
  • Turn the blinis and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side
  • Pop the cooked blinis on a plate covered with kitchen paper and keep cooking the blinis in batches until you’ve used all the batter
4

Assemble the blinis and serve

  • Layer up the blinis with the cashew cheese and carrot, with a final sprinkle of nori on top for good measure. Voilà. Instant Christmas joy.

Tips & Variations

  • Get the cashews really soft: Don't rush the boiling stage. A full 15 minutes makes all the difference between a grainy blitz and that gorgeous, velvety smooth cream cheese. Worth the wait every time.
  • Make the cashew cheese ahead: You can make the garlic and herb cashew cheese up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge. It actually gets better as the flavours develop, and it means the day of serving is a breeze.
  • Season generously: The 'salmon' topping needs confident seasoning to really deliver that smoky, flavourful punch. Don't be shy with it. Taste as you go and adjust until it really sings.

Why This Works

The trick here is the cashew cheese. Boiling the cashews properly until they're genuinely soft is what gives you that thick, smooth, creamy texture that holds up on top of the blini without sliding off everywhere. What really makes it sing is the nutritional yeast and lemon juice combo, that's what gives the cheese its savoury, slightly tangy depth that mimics a proper cream cheese without any dairy in sight.