Smoked Whitefish Salad

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 quarts cold water
• 2 cups cheap vodka (optional)
• 1 1/2 lbs smoked whitefish (instructions follow)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced, plus additional sprigs for garnish
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably hellmann's
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon medium-grind fresh black pepper
• whole leaves radicchio (optional) or butter lettuce, for serving (optional)
• bagel chips or butter flavored crackers or toast points, for serving

Recipe

• 1 prepare the brine: combine the salt, brown sugar, water, and vodka, if using, in a large shallow container such as a roasting pan. add the whole gutted skin on whitefish, then cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. (if desired, keep the fish submerged in the brine by topping it with resealable bags of ice.).
• 2 remove the fish from the brine and rinse thoroughly, inside and out, under cold running water. pat dry with paper towels. (discard the brine.).
• 3 when ready to cook, start your smoker and establish the lowest heat you can. (about 180 degrees.) place the fish on the grill grate. tuck 2 or 3 balls of foil in the cavity so the interior gets more exposure to the smoke. smoke the fish for 3 to 4 hours, or until it flakes easily when pressed with a fork and has an internal temperature of 150 degrees f.
• 4 let cool, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• 5 make the salad: remove the skin and break the fish into flakes; remove any pin bones you find. (there are a lot of them!) add the celery, red onion, lemon juice, dill, mayonnaise, sour cream, and pepper. stir gently with a rubber spatula to combine.
• 6 to serve, mound the salad into leaves of lettuce or radicchio, if desired, and accompany with bagels or bagel chips, crackers, or cocktail breads. garnish with sprigs of fresh dill.