1. First, we’re making the blini batter. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth, then let it chill for like 5-10 minutes. Once the batter’s had its lil rest, heat up a pan with a bit of oil or butter and spoon in small circles of batter. I usually use 3/4 of a tablespoon. Here’s the pro tip: when you see those cute little holes popping up on the surface, it’s time to flip them. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes until they’re golden and gorgeous. Boom, your blinis are born. Pop them on a cooling rack to chill out – no soggy bottoms here.
2. Grab a bowl and mix the ricotta cream. For this, stir together ricotta, olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper until it’s smooth and creamy. Then load it into a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy, or just keep a spoon handy for the easy aesthetic.
3. Once your blinis are cool, dollop or pipe some ricotta cream onto each one. Get creative – a little swirl, a casual blob, whatever your heart desires. Now they’re ready for toppings.
4. For Blini topping 1, toast the walnuts in a pan without adding additional fat. Take them out and let them cool. Thinly slice the shallots into delicate rings and fry them in a bit of oil until crispy. Set aside to cool. Add half a walnut onto the blini, as well as about 1 tsp of the crispy onions. Finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of pink peppercorns. Toss on a few fresh thyme leaves and finish with a few drops of chili oil for a spicy kick that ties it all together.
5. For Blini topping 2, slice fresh figs into eighths. Place one fig wedge on the ricotta cream, then crumble some blue cheese on the other side – as much or as little as your vibe calls for. Add a few drops of truffle oil, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, and garnish with a touch of chopped chives to seal the deal.
6. For Blini topping 3, flake some cooked salmon into bite-sized pieces and nestle it onto the ricotta cream. Slice red onions into thin strips, then scatter a few pieces on top along with some capers. Add a few drops of olive oil, a grind of fresh black pepper, and finish with a couple of dill sprigs.
7. For Blini topping 4, tear thin slices of pastrami into strips, roll them into little spirals, and press them onto the ricotta. Diagonally halve some cornichons and place one half on the blini. Drizzle a few drops of walnut oil for a rich, nutty twist. Top it all off with a sprig of fresh parsley for a classy finishing touch.
8. For Blini topping 5, thinly slice radishes into delicate rounds and place two slices on one side of the blini. On the other side, gently press on a little bunch of radish cress for that pop of green. Finish with a few drops of basil oil for a fresh, herbaceous flair.
9. Serve these cute appetizers on a platter and watch them disappear in seconds.

PREPARATIONS

• Peel the potatoes and cut into medium-sized pieces.
• Peel the onions and cut into small pieces.
• Cut the pickles into small pieces.
• Cut the chives into small rolls.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot filled with salted water until done.
2. Meanwhile, fill a small pot with water and bring to the boil. As soon as the water boils, add the eggs and cook for 8 minutes until firm. Drain the potatoes and eggs and set both aside to cool. It’s best to let the eggs cool in an ice bath to prevent them from cooking further.
3. Caramelize the onions in 1 tbsp butter and a bit of salt in a pan for about 30 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and fry the bacon until crispy. There may be a residue – the best way to deglaze this is with a dash of white wine or stock to release the wonderful aromas from the bottom of the pan.
4. Now peel the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Cut the egg whites into small pieces and set aside. Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl. Add the fried bacon, caramelized onions, chives, pickles, dijon mustard, mayonnaise and white wine vinegar to the bowl. Stir everything together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the chopped egg white pieces. The mixture should taste very over-seasoned, as the potatoes will take away a lot of the flavor when they are mixed in later.
5. When the potatoes are cooled cut them in coarse pieces, add them to the salad cream and mix everything well. Season to taste and serve.

1. Put the pickles into the blender. Pour in the oil. Blend on the highest setting until only tiny pieces of the pickles are visible.
2. Pour the mixture from the blender into a medium-sized pot and heat it over medium heat to a temperature of about 104°C (220°F), and maintain this temperature for the next 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure the temperature remains steady and nothing gets burned.
3. Prepare a bowl large enough to fit a medium-sized pot, and fill it with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Also, hang a fine mesh strainer over one medium-sized bowl and another fine mesh strainer, with a coffee filter inside it, over another medium-sized bowl.
4. Now, place the pot in the ice water and stir to cool the oil quickly. Once the oil is almost cold, remove the pot from the water.
5. Pour the oil into the prepared fine mesh strainer to catch the coarse particles.
6. Then, pour the oil into the second fine mesh strainer, which is equipped with the coffee filter, to catch the remaining finer particles.
7. Allow the oil to drip through for about half an hour or maybe less depending on how many remaining particles are in the coffee filter. Once all the oil has passed through the coffee filter, transfer the collected amount of oil into an oil bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks.

1. Place the bacon in a cold pan without adding any more fat and fry over a medium heat until crispy. If the bacon gets hot together with the pan and is not placed directly in a hot pan, the fat from the bacon will come out during frying.
2. Meanwhile cut the onion and the pickles into very small pieces.
3. Leave the excess fat from bacon in the pan and transfer the bacon to a medium bowl and set aside.
4. In the same pan, fry the onion pieces in the bacon fat over a medium heat until golden brown until they start to caramelize slightly. Set the pan aside and allow the onion pieces to cool slightly.
5. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bacon in the bowl and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The dip tastes best with a fresh baguette or potato chips.