SMOKED WHITEFISH DIP

(serves 2-4, appetizer portions)

8oz smoked white fish 

4oz cream cheese (half a block), room temp

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup golden raisin, finely chopped

1 TBL fresh dill, roughly chopped

1 TBL lemon juice

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp capers, roughly chopped

1 tsp grated fresh horseradish (optional, but don’t use the prepared jarred stuff for this)

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp thai or vietnamese fish sauce

1 thai chili, seeded and minced

grated black lime, for garnish

chopped parsley, for garnish

Brine:

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup kosher salt

1 TBL juniper berry

2 bay leaves

2-3 cups h2o (enough to completely submerge the fish)

For the brine, dissolve salt and sugar in cool water, add spices, and submerge fish for 8 hours or overnight. Rinse the fish and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in the fridge uncovered for a few hours or place in front of a fan to develop the pellicle, or a thin, sticky layer of proteins on the surface of the fish that keeps moisture in and allows the smoke to better adhere to the fish.

We wanted to smoke our own fish, but not only is there 2 feet of snow outside, but we also don’t have a smoker. So we used a technique using a wok, tin foil, some tea leaves, and jasmine rice to smoke the fish indoors. 

Using two large pieces of tin foil, line the base of the wok, placing the second piece at a 90-degree angle to the first so that the wok is completely lined and there are 3-4 inches of excess foil over the edge. In the bottom of the work, place ¼ cup uncooked jasmine rice (or whatever rice, really) and a tablespoon of tea leaves (I used sencha green tea). Place a small grill pan or resting rack over the rice and tea, with a couple inches of space between the top of the rice mix and the bottom of the rack. Wad a couple pieces of foil to place beneath the rack if you need to raise it up. If you want a gentler smoky flavor, form a disk of tin foil to place over the rice and tea mix. Place the two small prepared fillets of cod or other white fish on the rack and season with salt and pepper. Cover the wok and seal the edges with the excess foil. Turn heat on to high for 5 minutes or until smoking, then dial back to med-high and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, check to make sure the fish is sufficiently cooked and easily flakes apart. Open the wok outside to keep from releasing any smoke in the house.

In a small bowl, add chopped ingredients along with fish, roughly chopped. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl with a spatula), add cream cheese and sour cream, and mix until evenly blended. Add liquids (lemon juice, vinegar, fish sauce), followed by all your chopped ingredients. Taste for a balance of salt, sweetness, and acidity, and adjust to your preference. 

The consistency will be slightly loose, so throw it back in the fridge for an hour to firm up. For serving, plate as desired, drizzle a little olive oil, and top with grated black lime and chopped parsley. Serve with a side of bread crisps or carta di musica crackers.