Fusion cooking, which features local ingredients prepared using international techniques, has become almost mainstream. Here's an hors d'oeuvre that reflects the trend.
Using corn and scallops to make a blini-like pancake produces an intriguing hors d'oeuvre. As a first course, serve with a salad.
Servings: Makes about 20 blinis.
Ingredients
8 ounces sea scallops
½ cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon canned chipotle en adobo, chopped
1 cup frozen or fresh corn
1 egg white
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and lots of freshly ground pepper to taste
2 ounces caviar, either sturgeon or salmon
½ cup sour cream
Method
Place scallops, whipping cream, fish sauce, chipotle chili and corn into food processor. With the machine running, pour egg white through feeder tube. Purée until smooth. Remove from food processor into a bowl.
Fold flour into mixture. The texture should be thick and pancake-like. Season with salt and and lots of pepper to taste.
Place a non-stick pan on medium heat. Brush with an oil-soaked paper towel. Add about 1 tablespoon batter to pan. Cook about 1 to 2 minutes or until set and golden, flip over and cook second side. Remove from pan.
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and some caviar.
Lucy Waverman