Corn Blini with Crab & Avocado Crema

in Appetizers, Lighter & Healthier, Seafood

Blue (Pink) Corn Blini with Crab and Avocado Crema

Today we are celebrating! Our friend Annie, the Sugar Cookie Decorator Extraordinaire behind Annie’s Eats, will soon be welcoming a sweet new addition to her family. A sweet new pink addition! So what better way to celebrate, when we’re all spread out every which way, than a virtual baby shower!

Baby girls are a lot of fun. Shopping for clothes, all the pink, shopping for more clothes, even more pink… I type that as my little girl is jamming at her music table wearing a blue Indianapolis Colts outfit that I got from the ‘boys’ section πŸ™‚

Head over to our Hostess’ and the Momma To Be’s blogs for the full shower menu.

Me, I made Pink Corn Blini with Crab and Avocado Crema: two-bite corn meal pancakes topped with juicy crab meat, pico de gallo, and a creamy avocado sauce. The original recipe called for blue corn flour which yields a blue, almost violet pancake. But since we’re celebrating pink, I used white corn flour and just a wee bit of red food coloring gel to get a pretty light pink.

Thanks to Courtney for organizing and hosting with such a fun and talented group of ladies. And congratulations again to Annie and her family!

Blue Corn Blini with Crab and Avocado Crema

Blue/Pink Corn Blini with Crab and Avocado Crema

An impressive appetizer: two-bite corn meal pancakes topped with juicy crab meat, pico de gallo, and a creamy avocado sauce

Ingredients

  • For the blini:
  • 1 tsp yeast
  • 2 Tbsp warm water
  • 1/2 cup blue cornmeal flour (or white corn meal flour and red food coloring, if making pink)
  • 7 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • For the avocado crema:
  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 8 oz fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shell pieces
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Pico de Gallo

Instructions

  1. Make the blini: Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Stir the yeast into the water in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flours and salt. Add the milk, yeast mixture, and butter, whisking to combine after each addition. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
  3. Coat the preheated griddle or skillet with cooking spray. Use 2 Tbsp of batter per blini and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until crisp around the edges and golden brown. Set aside and keep warm.
  4. Make the crema: Process the avocado, mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt in a food processor or blender until smooth.
  5. Spoon into a squeeze bottle or zipper bag with the corner snipped off. Refrigerate until ready to use. (The crema can be made one day in advance).
  6. To assemble: In a small bowl, lightly toss the crab meat with lime juice. Squeeze a small dollop of crema on each blini and top with a small spoonful of the crabmeat and another small spoonful of pico de gallo. Garnish with additional avocado crema. Serve immediately.

Notes

Yields: 14 pancakes (but there is enough crab and avocado crema for a double batch of pancakes)

Adapted from The Pastry Queen

Estimated time: 45 minutes

22 comments… add one
  • NEver heard of blinis! Great job, though! πŸ™‚

  • I said this in my post, and I meant it – I am sure I could eat several of these! Eric thought they looked delicious, too, so I’m sure I’ll be making them soon! Thanks again for participating in the shower! πŸ™‚

  • I always want to make these when I flip through The Pastry Queen Christmas, and yours look so freaking cute – I love that you made them pink! I’m pretty sure I could down several of these at a shower. πŸ™‚

  • These look absolutely wonderful! I have never made a blini before, and I love the idea of making them pink for the shower.

    P.S. I love your blog. Your photos are stunning!

    Shanon πŸ™‚

  • I love blini, but I’ve never made them myself. These look absolutely delicious (not to mention, adorable!).

  • I’m not even a crab fan but I want to grab these off of the screen. Yum! Count me as another vote for wishing this shower took place for real. πŸ™‚

  • Looks delicious!! Can’t go wrong with one of Rebecca’s recipes!

  • Wow! Never heard of blini but I’m pretty sure you may have introduced me to a new addiction. When I try these, I can tell I’ll love them! And, so cute and perfect for a baby shower!

  • Thanks so much for taking part in this virtual shower, Shawnda! I love your entry – so light, colorful and perfect for a shower.

    As a side note, I really hate when people (girls or women) wear pink sports attire rather than their team’s actual colors, so I’m happy you have your daughter in real Colts blue πŸ™‚

  • Beverly

    This looks amazing!!!

  • Oh Shawnda! These look SO amazing! I love crab and these look like they’re just bursting with flavor! This shower has been SO much fun and I’m thrilled to have been a part of it!

  • my life be like

    cute, original and delicious looking πŸ™‚

  • Never tried blinis before. Have to try this real soon!

  • These look divine! Elegant and scrumptious, I’m sure. What a fantastic appetizer.

  • I love the idea of blue corn for blinis! The toppings look delicious too.

  • stunning! And great aperitif/canapΓ© idea!

  • Those look so good! they would make for perfect appetizers.

  • Cris

    These are so cute I’m thinking about making them for my shower. Is there a trick to making the blini thicker? Thanks for sharing.

    • @Cris, They’re just like pancakes so a thicker batter will spread a little less and bake up a bit taller. You can try increasing the cornmeal and flour by a Tbsp or 2 each.

  • My blini were very thin. I think the yeast was old…hardly bubbled.

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