Elevate your appetizer game with these elegant Mini Blinis, featuring a burst of smoky goodness from marinated tomatoes. Begin by blanching and quartering the tomatoes, allowing them to soak overnight in a rich marinade.
Place the water, tamari, olive oil, liquid smoke, and seaweed in a glass container with a lid. Set aside.
Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
Meanwhile, make 4 long and shallow lengthwise incisions in each tomato, from end to end. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain the tomatoes, then run them under cold water for 2 minutes.
Remove the tomatoes’ skins (it should come off easily after blanching) and quarter the tomatoes lengthwise. Scoop out the core and the seeds (freeze these to use in sauces).
Cut each tomato quarter into 4 to 6 pieces, depending on the size of tomatoes, and add to the tamari mixture. Put the lid on the container, then shake it a few times to fully coat the tomatoes with the marinade. Place in the fridge to marinate overnight.
Prepare the Blinis
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the soy milk and avocado oil and stir until well combined.
Heat a medium or large pan over medium heat. Using a silicone brush, brush the entire surface of the pan with melted butter.
Scoop the blini batter into the pan, using 1 heaping teaspoon of batter per blini, spreading the batter slightly into a circle using your spoon. Fit in as many blinis as you can while still leaving space between them to facilitate their flipping. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden. Flip and cook for another minute.
Repeat until you have used all the batter. If the pan gets too hot and starts to smoke, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Let the mini blinis cool completely before serving.
Assemble the Blinis
Dollop some vegan cream cheese onto the mini blinis. Top with 1 or 2 slices of smoked tomato, 1 or 2 capers, fresh dill, and a crack of pepper. Enjoy after assembly. Alternatively, store all the elements separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can eat your mini blinis cold or warm by microwaving them on medium power for 15 to 30 seconds.
Notes
Liquid smoke is a natural byproduct of burning wood that gives food a smoky flavor. It’s found in most grocery stores in the sauces aisle, but if you can’t find any, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.If you don’t have ground seaweed, simply blend up a nori sheet and use ¼ teaspoon of the powder.