And now for something completely different: a new entry in the much-neglected seafood category on this site. I know this didn’t get past most of you, that is how not-so-secretly fish-averse I am. Sure, I’ve come around to mussels, to clams and even oysters (but only with the iciest champagne, please; I’m fancy); I’ve been known to make some limited advances in the areas of shrimp, lobster, halibut and tuna. But for the most part, my seafood appreciation level is pitifully low. Lest you think that I delight in this — proudly flaunt my “FISH-FREE KITCHEN” apron as if it were some sort of culinary triumph — the truth is that it feels like a failure. It bothers me. I fight it. I do not always win.
But every so often, something sounds so wonderful, it pierces through all of my apprehension, which is exactly what happened when this recipe showed up in my Tasting Table email a few weeks ago. The recipe is like a tag cloud populated with every ingredient I cannot say no to: sour cream, Worcestershire, horseradish, Creole mustard (which I picked up just to see if we’d like it, and oh, we very much do), smoked paprika, celery, scallions, cayenne, lemon juice. And then, as if I hadn’t already fallen in love, the chef (Chris Shepherd, of Underbelly in Houston, inspired by Donald Link and Ryan Prewitt’s smoked-tuna dip at Pêche in New Orleans) serves it on Saltine crackers, something I haven’t had in my kitchen in too many years. It’s deliciously low-brow and high-brow and wait, we totally forgot to discuss the fish, didn’t we?
I suppose you could make this with tuna, smoked if you can find it; I don’t think this dressing would taste bad on shredded paper, if we’re being honest here, or more edibly, even egg salad. But Tasting Table told me to put it on smoked whitefish, and given that I live pretty much up the street from the greatest, oldest smoked fish emporium there is, it was an easy decision for this spoiled New Yorker (which also led me to the discovery of their sweet, lightly pickled cabbage salad, which will be my new addiction), but I think that no matter where you buy yours, this dip will a worthy addition to your bagel brunch, lunch, dinner or snack rotation.
One year ago: Perfect Uncluttered Chicken Stock
Two years ago: Granola-Crusted Nuts
Three years ago: Homesick Texan Carnitas
Five years ago: Spaghetti with Chickpeas
Four years ago: Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
Six years ago: Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Garlic Chips
Seven years ago: Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic
Eight years ago: Bretzel Rolls
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Fresh Spinach Pasta (great for both sides of the world, actually, due to spinach bumper crops)
1.5 Years Ago: Essential Raised Waffles
2.5 Years Ago: Bacon, Egg and Leek Risotto
3.5 Years Ago: Ribboned Asparagus Salad
Smoked Whitefish Dip with Horseradish
I made a few changes; I skipped the Tabasco and the jalapeño, figuring that the cayenne (which I used much less of, hoping the kid would try this) would be enough for the heat we wanted. I also skipped the yellow onion; I don’t love it raw (I’d use red or white instead, if you’re like me on this) and figured the scallion and chives would provide enough onion flavor. Definitely consider this a flexible recipe and make the adjustments you think you’d prefer. Finally, I found that it made a little more dressing than I needed. We’re keeping the rest around for a future tuna or other salad.
You’ll want about 1 1/2 pounds whole (bone-in, skin-on) smoked whitefish to get 1 pound skinned and flaked. At Russ and Daughters (which my son misreads as “Russian Daughters” and no, we will not correct him), where I bought mine, their whole whitefish range from 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, and they will sell you half of one.
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Creole mustard, or a mustard that you prefer
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Zest and juice from 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce (see Note; I skipped this)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (I used much less)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (I skipped this)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced (and this)
- 1 pound skinned and flaked smoked whitefish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Saltine crackers to serve
- 1 tablespoons finely chopped chives, for garnish
Make the dressing by mixing mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, zest and lemon juice, hot sauce (if using), cayenne (to taste), green onions, celery, jalapeño (if using) and onion in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place skinned and flaked whitefish in a larger bowl. Add dressing to taste (we used about 3/4 of it total) and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers, garnished with chives.
This looks like a wonderful hors d’oeuvre for the upcoming holidays. I love horseradish!
Thoughts on R&D’s new restaurant? If there’s one thing about NYC that I miss more than anything else, it’s that store. My friends seem to lean heavily in the pro-smoked fish crowd (Friday morning tours at Acme, anyone?) so I’ve been enjoying photos of the restaurant since its opening week in my Facebook feed.
I am a Tasting Table junkie, but I don’t recognize this recipe. How strange. And I LIVE for a good whitefish salad.
Molly — Believe it or not, we haven’t been yet! Our friends love it, but they also don’t have kids. We cannot wait for an hour for a table with a kid, or at least the kid we have, nope, never going to happen (they don’t take reservations). Maybe in a year or two. :) Re, TT: they publish so much these days! I miss things all of the time.
I saw this recipe on Tasting Table and was really tempted to make it, and now I’m even more tempted! I absolutely love Russ & Daughters, especially their new restaurant. Smoked fish is one of my favorite go to’s on a bagel. Can’t wait to try this!
In advance, my husband thanks you. I guess we’ll just have to wait for the pickled cabbage salad redux.
Shelli — This is my husband’s lunch today. It must be a thing. Re, pickled cabbage salad: I made one a bunch of years ago for NPR. This is similar, but if there seems to be interest, I can retune it for the site. (I figured it was a very small group of people excited about pickled cabbage. I hope I’m wrong.)
Note that “whitefish” is actually sablefish and is harvested sustainably off the Pacific coast (mostly British Columbia and Alaska). They are mostly sold in Japan, but Jewish delis were the first to put them on the U.S. map!
Uh NO- there is actually Lake Superior Whitefish & that’s what we’re using here on the Midwest Coast! ;)
Oh, my… this looks WONDERFUL! Now where to get my smoked whitefish? I can get almost anything fresh/frozen, but smoked is another story.
I don’t eat shellfish–this is a reminder of other deliciousness in the seafood world. Thank you!
PS–YES to the cabbage salad!
Deb I find myself commenting more frequently lately as I seem to grow more and more in love with your site! My SO will go insane over this I think. The problem is that my list of things to make from Smitten is so terribly long, and every time you post another recipe, you add to the list. Oh the troubles I have… :)
This is so going on my list for my New Year’s Day brunch!
I have had horseradish on the brain lately–currently enjoying a horseradish vinaigrette on a shaved beet salad.
This looks great! What a perfect and different appetizer idea to bring to a holiday party :)
Grew up eating whitefish straight from Lake Michigan – I assume it’s actually a different fish than the one mentioned by an earlier commenter. It was usually served “planked,” which was elegant and delicious, but was also smoiked in a little place right down the street from our grandparents’ lake house. Went back to visit after 47 years’ absence, and one of the first things served to us was smoked whitefish dip. Wonderful memory and great to see it is still popular there!
Another vote for the pickled cabbage!
Please yes to the pickled cabbage salad! I searched all over here in L.A. for what is called “Health Salad” in East Coast delis but could not find it…had to make it myself. So good!
ohhhh what i would give to be close to the place with the greatest smoked sablefish in the world. Great recipe! thanks so much
To help with your fish/seafood conversion, you should try black cod. All my friend who salmon fish in Alaska in the summer end up bringing black cod to potlucks because it’s hands down the best fish I’ve ever tasted.
This looks delicious! I grew up never eating seafood, and moving to NY and trying all sorts of seafood deliciousness has really changed my mind! This dip would be a hit in my house for sure :)
Mmm, this recipe has my name on it! I’m sure that it’s gonna be a new crowd pleaser kind of snack. :)
Fun to hear that Jacob got a comic book, etc. for trick or treat. When I was a little girl, the neighborhood grocery store stayed open and gave out full sized candy bars and the drug store offered candy too, and this in CA. We had at least 100 trick or treaters on our street- they had to walk single file to get by each other. It was amazing!
Wow! I’m glad you got over that fish aversion and made this. We discovered a smoked tuna areas at Dave’s in Montauk that is served with ritz and we are drooling at the thought of having it again ASAP!
This sounds really good! And it seems so easy to throw together. Fun recipe!
Do you think this recipe might translate to smoked salmon? Crazy allergies in my house prohibit sablefish. And yes, very much yes, to the pickled cabbage salad!
Roz — I definitely think it could.
Yummo! And yes to pickled cabbage salad!!!
If you want to make the trip to grand army plaza, Blue Moon fish has incredible smoked bluefish. My husband works at the fish stand for the fisherman and the fisherman smokes the fish himself in his backyard. we make a dip at home that is very similar to this and it works incredibly well with the blue fish!
Yes to pickled cabbage salad!
My wife and I do something similar to this but use pickled jalapeño slices instead of finely chopped jalapeños. They look nice on top too (and the kids could pick them off).
I vote “Yes, please” to the picked cabbage salad recipe. This is a democracy, right?
A few not-relevant notes:
1) Pickled cabbage yes!!
2) This looks yummy…too bad there aren’t any fish fans in my house.
3) I made cauliflower cheese a few nights ago to go with a roasted chicken and it was a revelation. Why haven’t I thought of it before?! My kids were like OMG MAC N CHEESE! They loved it. I ate it with a basted egg on top the next morning for breakfast too.
4) I have a teenage brother who likes cooking and recently had a birthday. I bought him your cookbook – I hope it will be the start of a long and beautiful relationship. :)
We definitely need the cabbage salad recipe otherwise, how am I supposed to call smoked whitefish dip a meal? It’s pretty much begging for cabbage.
I might have to make the whitefish dip with the smoked trout from Trader Joe’s since whitefish is not a particularly common sight in Southern CA. I’m hoping Costco is carrying it (they did last year), but if they’re not I’m SOL unless I want to pay Whole Foods prices which…I don’t.
Underbelly is our restaurant of choice anytime my husband and I get a rare date night. I’ll definitely be trying this one!!
Looks delicious, yummy horseradish!
This sounds so good but I’ll have to try this with veganaise! Looks like a great holiday dip!
Yes, please, to a “sweet, lightly- pickled” cabbage. It’ll have to do until I save up for whitefish!
I wish I liked fish, I feel like I’m missing out on so many nice things but I find the flavour so overwhelming! I’ll just have to keep trying and one day it might click.
On a completely unrelated note: I think you might enjoy this recipe for butternut and parsnip gratin. I usually make it at Christmas but it went down really well for a vegetarian, gluten free dinner I hosted recently. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4963/creamy-parsnip-and-squash-bake
Deb, I’m a seafood junkie, so I love this post! Even the humblest of seafood dishes like smoked oysters on saltines does the trick for me. Can’t wait to try this!
This is like the super awesome grown up version of the tuna salad I would make as kid. I’m so going to have to try this with thin sticks of Manchego on the side.
Ash
The Board and Wire
This looks amazing… to the extent that I have to have it for lunch and I’m wondering whether I can find whitefish in my neighbourhood. And, I also vote yes for the pickled cabbage salad!
Okay, this is a VERY meta question and you can tell right away that I’m a programmer by trade, but I’m so curious: you’re not using Flickr for the images in this post! What changed to make you want to use WordPress’s image uploading?
PS The Russ and Daughters cabbage salad is second in my mind only to their excellent potato salad — here’s another vote for your version of it!
nzle — Oh my goodness, you are astute! This is literally one of the first times I’ve ever had to do this and it’s because Flickr wasn’t letting me upload this morning; not sure if it was everyone or just me. I honestly feel that they’re getting slower and slower (fortunately, not on the hosting servers, but on the individual photo pages) and keep putting hurdles in making it more annoying to use; definitely on the lookout for a way to change photo hosts painlessly without suddenly paying umpteen thousand a year in fees. I.e. ha, this will never happen.
I’m bookmarking this for the next Jewish holiday! I recently made a smoked trout salad for the break fast, which was just like this, but teh “trout” thing really freaked everyone out. Classic whitefish for next year. Thanks for the recipe!
Post the pickled cabbage recipe!! Please!! But also, I’m going to try this with smoked herring, I always have some around so this will be a nice change.
Happened upon your site fairly recently – what a happy accident. :D
Wish I could share some smoked fish with you. Smoke it myself over local fig wood – occasionally bluefin tuna (we have the freshest toro in the world!), but yellowfin will do, and my most favoritest – smoked striper – to die for. If you’re ever in the Outer Banks…
If you want to be totally decadent try this on buttery crackers like Keebler Clubs or Ritz. And yes please to the cabbage!
I love, love, love all sea food and I love to smoke salmon with a few sticks of oak wood. I will give the white fish a try.
Deb, this is going on my list! Also, try making Salat Olivier with crab meat (real or fake, doesn’t matter) instead of whatever meat you usually use – so tasty!
“Horseradish”? The “magic word” guaranteeing my family will love this. It would appear that Alex is “smitten” with the idea of this salad too, or were you not moving fast enough for him? ;) Great endorsement for everyone’s partner to get involved with this recipe, perfect for teenagers as well I think. Great choice, as always. Thank you.
These look delicious! I’m definitely putting them on my list of recipes to try (maybe for tomorrow)!
Please please pickled cabbage salad. We had one at Moishe’s Steakhouse in Montreal last winter (don’t even ask what a nice southern boy went to Montreal in winter for…) and have been craving it ever since.
MY MOST FAVOURITE APP EVER. To me, it’s Florida’s weirdo version of whitefish salad. You know, for warmer climes.
Pickled cabbage salad for president! (Aka yes, interested in the recipe!)
I’ve never tried a whitefish version, but we love smoked bluefish or smoked trout pate! Always on retro Saltines :)
That looks amazing. I love smoked whitefish, although I haven’t had it in years. No idea where to get it, but I’m going to have to look, if only to try this!
I can’t wait to try this! One of our favorite appetizers at a seafood place we frequent on vacation has a smoked tuna dip served with saltines. So delicious!
This looks so delicious; I can’t wait to make it!
I’ve been lurking here for years and finally wanted to pop out and comment on this one — we Michiganders love whitefish and I can’t wait to try this one!
Also, in general, a big thank you!!! for all of your amazing recipes. I’ve gotten so many compliments on things I’ve made from your site :)
Cara, whitefish is also very popular around Lake Michigan, as they are caught there. I’ve never heard of it ever coming from the Pacific before, and in Alaska I mainly saw salmon. So, I guess there are more than one type of whitefish. In Wisconsin and parts of Illinois, the are fish boils or fish fries every Friday using whitefish. My father-in-law HATES fish. Last weekend he went to a fish boil in WI and LOVED it!! I’m so glad he got to experience it. Now I can’t wait to make this dip!
All the ingredients sing to me, too! I love horseradish, especially freshly grated one that immediately clears sinusses for years to come. Unfortunately smoked whitefish is not that easy to come by at every fishmonger in Germany when the mood strikes for whitefish, so I have made a version with lovely smoked halibut a few months ago which was really lovely in taste as well as in its beautiful pale yellow colour.
And here’s to my face turning yellow and green with envy of you living up the road from to Russ & Daughters. Although, I have to be saved from myself: I would spend half my life waiting in line there and the other in the gym getting rid of too many everything bagels with Gaspe Nova, all the trimmings & their chocolate babka. Sigh.
We don’t have Sablefish in the UK- what could I substitute instead?
My children gave me the loveliest gift for Mothers Day last year- a pot of home made mackerel, horseradish and lemon pate that they collaborated on. The most meaningful gift I have ever received, it came with a small jar of trout caviar, lovely coral coloured eggs to serve with.
When you mention smoked tuna, it reminds me of the CLASSIC Israeli dish. This is a ubiquitous camping dish in Israel. All you do is open a can of your chosen tuna packed in oil, set it alight (in a safe outdoor spot) and wait until the flame subsides. This can take a couple of hours! But if you are camping, you can set a griddle or grid above it just as with the old Girl Scout buddy burner and use the heat to cook other things or boil water for coffee, etc.
Anyway, you then have a can of yummy smoked tuna!
am lucky enough to live where I can get smoked whitefish (freshwater, so, again, I assume it’s different than the Pacific variety), but can also get beautiful smoked trout. May go that way, as a number of my fave restaurants make an amazing smoked trout dip.
Re Mary M’s comment about whitefish in the great lakes, I’m wondering if she was referring to Carlson’s in Leland? Best. Smoked. Fish. Anywhere. Not to mention the fish sausage!
Is this dried cod or if you’re Italian baccala? It certainly looks like it to me — plus the method you use is what my mamma would do to prepare to make it.
Sounds delicious and just right for upcoming holidays. FYI to other posters whitefish is not sable. Sable, however, is black cod, which explains how it got so darn expensive over the years with the rise of its use outside of delicatessens. Miso glazed black cod is pretty irresistable. Sable / black cod has an oiliness and slickness not present in whitefish.
I am in Seattle, fish is my idea of heaven. My cat even wrote a poem
Glimmering Fish spiked through the head
cut in half and quickly bled
no bacterial growth or rigour morris
just a tasty meal for fluffy and boris
Smoked whitefish and baccala are totally different, but as I’m thinking about it this recipe would probably be GREAT with soaked baccala.
As for whitefish salad, I make my own every year for Rosh Hashanah – with just flaked deboned whitefish from a smokehouse in Mount Kisco, NY and Hellman’s mayo. If I changed that recipe I would face a mutiny!
I grew up in northern IN near Lake Michigan and remember whitefish and the Friday night fish fries. This sounds like something my dad would have loved. Please post the pickled cabbage recipe.
Hoping I can find some smoked whitefish here in MN because this looks like something I could eat at every meal.
Try this recipe with smoked salmon also. There’s lots of salmon, both smoked and fresh, in our area and I feel it is a fish that is easy to love even if you don’t like fish.
omg, kitchen afternoon, your cat’s poem is literally – killer! haha…
Not a smoked fish fan, but my husband is, so I may try it. Deb, will we be able to buy a boxed set of your upcoming SK cookbook and the first SK cookbook as a pair, by any chance? (Please say yes.) What a great holiday gift — this year or next — that would be for me to give myself (as well as some friends).
Jennifer — Thanks! I’ll definitely bring it up. But, it’s going to be a while. Book 2 will at best be a Fall 2016 book. I’m a slow worker! Plus, I try to maintain this site at the same pace as I would if I weren’t writing a book, so books take me much longer than authors without sites or who might let them lapse during the process (which ultimately happens for a week or two for me as well, but hopefully rarely).
Now that it’s Fall 2016….update please on your book. (no pressure intended, just a hint please)
Fall 2017. :) I hated to do an update when it’s still so far off. I’ll have more information in the beginning of the year and will do an update. I hope it’s worth the wait.
wow these look SUPER yummy :)
You can find smoked whitefish at Harris Teeter near the smoked salmon If you have a Harris Teeter near you !
i LOVE smoked fish! For meatier/less bones, get the tail end. This is definitely going to be made asap!
Yes, please, cabbage salad for the first generation Russian woman in Ohio. Deb, you really MUST try kippers. My 94 year old Ruskie dad always says it’s a lucky day when you get to have kippers. Think “fish bacon”…
Yes, yes, yes to pickled cabbage salad. My dad used to call it “repeater salad”, especially with a side of cucumber salad.
Hahaha! How come you didn’t mention that jar of Russian mustard with a mean-looking mother-in-law on it? It’s a staple in our house. First time my husband tried it at my parents’ house, his heart nearly stopped… Probably because we didn’t prevent him from slathering it on a piece of smoked sausage but watched him suffer instead :) he’s loved it since!
I lived in Baton Rouge for several years, and this is just the sort of recipe that would appear in some sort of Junior League cookbook down there (and the saltine cracker is perfect). Zatarain’s mustard is a staple in our cupboard. So yummy. I’ll also add my vote for the pickled salad.
So appreciate you not letting the site lapse re your last reply. I do think, in the end, those that do lose part of the audience or at least the allegiance of the audience. That said, I’m sure it’s tough.
I’ve been noticing lately the comment counts on certain recipes. This first struck me with the cauliflower cheese, which got a ton, despite being a dish I’m not that into. I browsed around a bit and concluded (very unscientifically) that “comfort food” dishes and some desserts tend to generate the most comments vs. healthier veg-based recipes, beverages, and the less conventional like this. I’m guessing you analyze this more closely. I found it interesting
I’m a lot like you when it comes to fish in my kitchen, except I haven’t warmed up to any of it yet. This looks like something my husband would love though, so I might have to try it. We have Morey’s in Motley, MN for smoked fish with a large fan following. So I really have no excuse. But. My husband used to love saltines but claims they have all changed their recipes for the worse. Any favorite brands out there?
I’m another Michigander who knows whitefish as a delicate and delicious lake fish caught in the Great Lakes and sold smoked in numerous shacks and stands in Michigan’s upper peninsula. I have a great recipe for whitefish pate using cream cheese, Louisiana hot sauce, onion and garlic.
I’m also a fan of Sablefish or black cod which my husband purchases in the Seattle fish markets during his annual fall trip to the Pacific Northwest. We freeze and eat it grilled all fall and winter. So my question is which fish was this? Looks delicious!
Hi MashaSmith — Ha! Good catch. It’s actually a jar of horseradish and I bought it when I bought the fish at Russ & Daughters. I figured anything with a mean old Russian lady on the jar couldn’t be bad. We liked it, it’s got great flavor, it’s not terribly hot. Alex’s favorite is still the one from The Pickle Guys on the LES. They usually fresh grind it daily for the month leading up to Passover; so fresh and delicious.
ATG — It’s not tough, I mean, I would never complain. I don’t mind doing the work more slowly; even if I weren’t multi-tasking, I’ve always been a slow, cautious worker. Plus, I’ve been doing this site too long to be happy when I’m not keeping it up so the relationship is very much a two-way street.
Re, comment counts: yes! Comfort foods and desserts always get more attention. There’s always a temptation to just focus on what’s popular (the Buzzfeed model, and I mean this warmly) but I know that less popular recipes can still become essential to people — we all need new lunch and dinner ideas, even if Fall-Toush Salads, Cauliflower Slaw and Cold Noodles with Miso, Lime and Ginger are less sexy/don’t cause a Pinterest storm, plus, I want this site to be a fairly honest reflection of good things we’ve eaten, and we are of course not eating cake daily (fun as that would be), without boring you with the last-minute grilled kielbasa and salads. (Tonight, btw: Sizzling Chicken Fajitas. For the 20-something-th time. I won’t be happy until every chicken-eating person has made them.)
My mom used to dig up the horseradish root before Christmas and my dad would grate it outside in the cold with tears running down his face. Best horseradish evah! You must try that mustard! Only make sure it is not expired, cause there will be no bite to it (did I just imply that Russians might sell something that has expired? Nooo! Never! :)
I’m not a fish person..at all. That said, I am a smitten kitchen devotee and have always enjoyed your content if not the recipe. I just don’t usually feel the need to comment negatively, so I read and move on. Usually. I’m glad you do niche recipes so that people of many tastes, including myself, can find enjoyment from the Smitten Kitchen. The more the merrier!
I live in Utah now and having lived in places like the northwest I just do not buy fish here. The only decent fish is flown is daily at huge expense and the rest is not even close to fresh. Smoked fish if I can find a source would be fabulous, now I will be on the hunt. OTOH we get wonderful local grassfed beef and there is a local deli with locally made charcuterie made my an Austrian butcher that is the best ever. Also a tiny neighborhood dutch deli with some great stuff made on site. It is not all suffering
I love the recipes like the cold noodles with miso lime and ginger, it was a huge hit at my house. A big part of the fun here for me is the variety. Thanks for not adopting the buzzfeed model.
I’ve stopped getting SK e-mails but haven’t unsubscribed. What can be done to fix this?
Donna — That’s no good! This one should have definitely gone out. You checked your spam folder, right? Is the email address you used for this comment the one you registered with (don’t worry, it’s only visible to me)? I can look it up in the system.
I’m a Great Lakes girl who happens to live in a suburb of Detroit with lots of Jewish delis, so I know both types of “smoked whitefish.” The Great Lakes whitefish is freshwater, lean, with a small delicate flake. The Pacific NW whitefish (aka sablefish or black cod) is a deepwater ocean fish, much higher in fat content, larger flakes. They are very different, but I think both could work in this recipe. Finding smoked whitefish of the GL type is easier in northern Mich, and finding smoked sable is easier in SE Mich. :)
Clarification, upon further reflection: I think maybe the strong flavors and textures of this recipe might be better suited to the fattier sable type of whitefish. Usually whitefish pate from the Great Lakes is more delicately flavored, and more delicate in consistency. Just my opinion.
haven’t changed a thing, but haven’t received the last three posts ;-(
Hi Donna — I ran your email address through and it didn’t come up as registered. I’m not sure how you would have gotten unsubscribed, but I would recommend subscribing again if you’d like to keep getting email updates. Thanks for letting me know.
I’m so happy you don’t use the buzzfeed model. I love the vegetable centric, less homey recipes more! I guess I’m in the minority, but please don’t change!
I think that whitefish is a fresh water fish mostly from the Great Lakes region, at least that is what I was always led to believe. Sable is a different fish. You can get sable some places, but it is VERY pricey. This recipe looks good. I make a whitefish salad with some mayonnaise, some red onion, celery, a little lemon juice and a dash of sugar. I like the idea of some horseradish also.
Smoked white fish dip is a staple fancy food in Northern Michigan, since white fish is local the upper Great Lakes. We served some from the fish market in St. Ignace at our wedding 13 years ago, and it was a huge hit.
ahh i live in houston and i love your blog! worlds colliding; and i can’t wait to try this recipe :)
was stationed in Cuba in the mid 70’s… we caught mullet with a net and smoked them, then made something similar to this…. Gonna put this version on the must try list. thanks!
Just made up a half batch of this with smoked salmon, and plan to serve it over baked potatoes tonight. Delicious! I, too, skipped all the hot stuff and I used whole milk yogurt instead of sour cream. Next time I’ll lessen the mayo and increase the yogurt, and there will definitely be a next time!
Hey Deb. Would it work to make this ahead of time and then freeze it, or would that compromise the texture? I’m considering bringing this to Thanksgiving in Westchester, but want it to survive the train ride at a safe temperature, you know?
Think I could prep this the day before Thanksgiving and store in the fridge overnight? Perhaps keep the prepped fish and ‘sauce’ separate until I’m ready to mix and serve?
Drew — This should keep just fine already mixed.
Hi Deb! I forgot about this post, and I just remembered it, and I can’t wait to make it! But I am wondering, though I know you are not the biggest fish fan ever, if you might consider helping a jaded tuna salad person find the perfect veggie tuna salad? Canned tuna, with veggies, but not a ton of mayo…maybe no mayo at all? Whenever I have tried this (with a bit of mustard) it is dry and tasteless. But you…you work wonders…so maybe…maybe? :) Thank you!! (P.S. – finally bought your book. It arrived. I cannot wait to make everything. Simply. Everything). :)
Mel — It’s a little odd, but this is my husband’s favorite tuna salad on earth. No mayo, really unique taste!
Russ and Daughters is the best!! Their sturgeon is even better than the whitefish (which is awesome). You are so lucky to live near there.
I made this and am disappointed. I added the smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and Worcestershire and my base is dark pink. Perhaps it’s the photograph not showing true colors but yours looks white. Also I put half of the lemon called for and find it overly lemony.
I made this for new years eve for a big party with my family and it was a hit! There was some catering cocktail food, very professional, but I think this was everyone’s favorite! So cool! I made it with smoked salmon, we are in Chile after all, and with some capers. Yum! Thank you so much.
made this for my book club and it was FANTASTIC!!!
Here is a hint for removing bones that always works! I make a white fish spread with an 8 ounce block of cream cheese. Beat the cheese with the skinned, smoked, white fish, (visible bones removed).
Beat with electric hand mixer. The bones in the cream cheese will come right to the top! I have been making this for years while on vacation in Leelanau Peninsula, on Lake Michigan in the northern part of lower Michigan. I buy the fish from a fish shanty, in the harbor, of the little town of Leland. After the bones are picked out, add fresh lemon juice, cayenne, a little horseradish……what ever you like! Don’t add to many flavors. The smoked white fish is the star! Great for happy hour with crackers or a special bread from the local bakery! Best place in the world for foodies!
Hi! I’m a New Yorker living in Washington, DC and would love to make this for a Rosh Hashana gathering tonight. Has anyone had any luck finding smoke whitefish (or a good alternative) at a chain grocery store?
Thanks!
Deb,
I’d love to make this, but terrified of overlooking any bones of any size. How did you ensure that yours was totally bone-free? Magnifying glass, running your fingers through each little bit? What?
Um, my husband deboned the fish. He adores whitefish and didn’t mind a bit. I realize that’s not helpful to others, however, unless he wants to take this show on the road.
My comment above your question addresses this. Hope it helps! Judy
So here I sit with a pound of the awful whitefish salad my MIL insists I serve for Yom Kippur Break Fast, which traditionally the next morning is a container of a pound of whitefish salad minus two tablespoons. Your recipe is so much more appealing to our palates. I wonder if I could tweak this by using it, minus the mayonnaise. Humn…must experiment on Thursday!
So, west coast person w/out a deli. So….what fish could I substitute?
What kind of smoked fish can you get? I know some people used tuna, haven’t tried it though.
Smoked salmon? I’m going to try it.
The absolute finest Smoked Whitefish spread is “Door County Smoked Whitefish Pate”…produced by the fishermen that catch the Whitefish…sold exclusively at Whole Foods midwest region.
I went to the Russ & daughters website to see about ordering some spread, upon your citation above, and they don’t tell you that the minimum order is $125 until after you have entered all your information. Thus, they acquire your info whether you order or not. Not a fan of this site.
I made this with regular canned kippered herring. Great substitute for whitefish.
Instead of white fish can smoked herring be used instead?
I’d think so!
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This looks awesome. I will make this to use on trout and salmon too. I am just a hillbilly in Southwest Virginia but have been fortunate enough to travel around the country and the world. I love my heritage food(pinto beans, fried potatoes and onions and corn bread of course) but this dip would go good on the Orient Express as an appetizer.