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Serve a little bundle of love for a Valentine’s Day treat

The Columbian
Published: February 10, 2014, 4:00pm

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here’s a luxurious little treat to make and serve at home that may bring to mind your most elite restaurant thrills. It’s based on the beggar’s purse, a signature appetizer at the Quilted Giraffe, a groundbreaking ’80s-era New York City restaurant.

The beggar’s purse was a voluptuous serving of Beluga caviar and sour cream spooned onto the center of a crepe, the ends of which were then gathered up and tied with a bow of chive. The resulting little bag with the pleats at the top looked like a purse, but there was nothing beggarly about its contents. It was rich in all ways.

Caviar has been considered a decadent treat for ages. About 200 years ago, the United States produced so much of it, saloons used to give it away for free with a glass of beer. That changed, of course. And as true sturgeon caviar (considered the very best) has become rarer, the price has become steeper.

In recent decades, American-made caviar has made a comeback. And the quality is excellent. You can find several American sturgeon caviars as well as many fish roes, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, paddlefish and bowfin. Less expensive than sturgeon caviar, they’re all quite tasty, which makes them good alternatives for the budget-minded.

This recipe is a Russian-leaning variation on the Quilted Giraffe original. I’ve replaced the crepes with blini, the buckwheat pancakes on which the Russians serve caviar. I’ve also swapped in low-fat sour cream for the full-fat variety, and added smoked salmon to bulk up the protein. It’s still plenty rich.

Smoked Salmon and Caviar Bundles

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active); Makes 8 bundles

If the idea of bundling crepes into a purse filled with salmon and caviar seems daunting, you also can prepare these as rolled “cigars.” Simply add the fillings to each crepe as directed, arranging them in a line down the center. Starting on one side, roll the crepe and fillings up, then tie across the center with a chive.

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons 1 percent milk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Hefty pinch of sugar

8 fresh chives

2 ounces smoked salmon, cut into thin strips

1 ounce black American caviar or salmon roe

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream or non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Zest of 1 lemon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and 2 1/2 teaspoons of the oil. Add the buckwheat and all-purpose flours, a pinch of salt, several grinds of pepper and the sugar. Beat just until combined. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, bring several inches of water to a boil. Add the chives and cook for 10 seconds, or until just wilted. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool, then pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Brush a medium nonstick skillet with a bit of the remaining oil, then heat the pan over medium-high until hot. Add 1/8 cup of the batter, then quickly lift and tip the pan to spread the batter evenly in a wide, thin circle. Let cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until the batter has set. Flip and cook on the second side for about 30 seconds. Transfer the crepe to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining oil and batter to create 8 crepes.

Working with one crepe at a time, in the center of each crepe, place an eighth of the salmon, 1 teaspoon of the caviar, a heaping teaspoon of the sour cream, and a sprinkle of the lemon zest. Fold the edges up over the fillings to create a bundle, then carefully tie it closed with one of the chives. Repeat with the remaining crepes and serve right away.

Per bundle: 100 calories; 50 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 6 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 50 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 5 g protein; 150 mg sodium.

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