I love eating elegant food. It just makes life feel a little more luxurious and celebratory. Eating plant based or vegan, particularly around the holidays, you don’t want to feel like you’re missing out. These delectable balsamic caviar atop creamy cashew sour cream and blini will make you a rock star if you serve or bring to a party! The little balsamic pearls have a nice flavor, are not salty, and pair so nicely with the cashew sour cream and fresh dill. Visually, this dish looks like traditional caviar in the way it’s served in this iconic appetizer. The cashew sour cream blows my mind. It’s so simple and low in fat and goes with so many things. The blini are fun to make and you can probably freeze them since it makes over 3 dozen. You can find the balsamic pearls on Amazon or specialty stores, and they do go on sale from time to time. I’ve also used the Caviart brand, made from seaweed and is a bit saltier; which I also like. I find that the balsamic pearls are easier to find and appeal to more people. Both of these options are vegan of course, and way less expensive alternatives to traditional caviar. My feeling is, make every day a special occasion and enjoy delicious, beautiful, plant based food!
For the Blini
Combine the yeast, warm water and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Slowly add in the flours and stir. Add in the plant milk and mix well with a spoon or spatula. Add more of the milk if it’s too dry. In a small bowl, whisk the aquafaba with a whisk until foamy. Add this into the mixture, adding more plant milk if needed. It should be a pancake batter consistency. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the batter rise for 1 hour. Make the Cashew Sour Cream in the meantime.
For the Cashew Sour Cream
Add all of the sour cream ingredients to a high speed blender and process until smooth. Place in the refrigerator to firm up a touch until ready to use. Keep the remaining sour cream in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
To Complete the Blini
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Add a little butter and turn pan to coat the entire bottom. Working in batches, add a tablespoon of batter for each blini, keeping a nice round shape. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. You’ll see little bubbles in the blini when it’s time to turn them. Place them on a warmed platter or plate to keep them warm. Repeat until you’ve used up all the batter.
To Serve
Arrange blini on a serving dish. Top with a dollop of the cashew sour cream. Then add a little of the balsamic pearls, and top with a small sprig of fresh dill.
