Smoked Salmon On Corn Bilini With Wasabi Cream

This recipe is from episode 1 of This Food That Wine

Wine Suggestion: Unoaked Chardonnay 

Yield: 2 dozen bilini

Ingredients

Corn Bilini

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour (375ml)
• 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar (15ml)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (10ml)
• ½ teaspoon salt (2.5ml)
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30ml) + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30ml)
• 1 cup milk (250ml)
• ½ cup corn kernels, fresh or canned, drained (125ml)
• 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped (15ml)

Wasabi cream

• ½ cup sour cream (125ml)
• 1-2 teaspoons wasabi powder (5-10ml)
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• salt to taste

Other

• 20 pieces of prepared smoked salmon, thinly sliced (approx. 350 grams)
• 1 bunch fresh cut chives (optional garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) (optional) to keep prepared bilinis warm.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Sift all ingredients until evenly combined.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, oil, milk, corn and finely chopped chives until evenly combined.
4. Add the wet mixture into to the dry mixture and whisk until evenly combined. Do not over mix the batter – some lumps are fine.
5. Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan and allow to heat for 30 seconds. Using a soup spoon measure 1 tablespoon of the batter and place in the pan, creating little round pancakes. Repeat until the pan is full but not overcrowded. Flip the pancakes when small bubbles appear on the top and the side of the cakes have lost their gloss. Flip and continue to cook the other side until they are golden brown. Remove from pan. Repeat until all batter is used. (If desired place on a tray and keep warm in a 250F oven)
6. To make wasabi cream mix sour cream, lemon juice and wasabi powder in a small bowl until well combined. Taste for desired heat, add additional wasabi powder if preferred.
7. Remove warm bilinis from oven and place on a serving platter. Top each bilini with a piece of smoked salmon and a small dollop of wasabi cream. Garnish with fresh cut chives if desired. Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing

Description: “Unoaked” means that the wine has been fermented and/or aged in stainless steel tanks, allowing the pure fruit flavours of the grapes to come through. This unoaked Chardonnay has crisp fruit flavours of peach, apple, and pear. It is medium in body and has refreshing, tangy acidity.

Pairing: This dish needs a wine that can stand up to the richness of the smoked salmon, while also complementing the sweetness of the corn in the bilini and cooling the heat of the wasabi. The Unoaked Chardonnay does all of these things, and the acidity of the wine also cleanses your taste buds, getting them ready for another bite.

Wine Suggestion: Try an Unoaked Chardonnay from Australia or Canada