SMOKED BLUEFISH PâTé
Bluefish is not a famous table fish; it is inexpensive and widely available, but you don't see it in restaurants often, even in this ravaged-ocean, sell-anything era. (Some states have issued advisories limiting its consumption, citing high levels of PCBs in the meat.) The knock on it is it's oily, it's "fishy." Its dark, compact meat is for cats, not fine, upstanding people like us. How untrue - and demonstrably so, as the following recipe will show! A fresh-caught bluefish of moderate weight, quickly cleaned and kept on ice, is as fine an eating fish as American waters produce. Alan Davidson, the British seafood don, says much the same in his indispensable "North Atlantic Seafood," albeit in a different accent: "It does not keep very well," reads Davidson's entry for Pomatomus saltatrix, "but, if bought and cooked with dispatch, offers firm flesh of an excellent taste." Bluefish, in short, is an excellent protein. Some words about what you're dealing with: dense meat with an off-white, almost gray hue, the pork shoulder of seafood. Bluefish lends itself to tough treatment: smoking, for instance, or slow-poaching in oil.
Provided by Sam Sifton
Categories appetizer
Time 25m
Yield Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- To smoke bluefish: Build a small charcoal fire in one-third of a grill fitted with a lid. When the coals are covered with gray ash and the fire is at medium heat (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 3 to 4 seconds), add a handful of the wet hickory chips to the fire. Rub the fish with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the fish, flesh side down, on the grill directly over the coals. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes, then transfer to the side of the grill without coals. Cover the grill and cook until the fish is opaque all the way through, about 6 minutes more. Remove the fish and let cool completely.
- Make the pâté: Flake the bluefish into the bowl of a food processor, discarding the skin. Add the cream cheese, butter and Cognac and pulse to combine. Add the onions, the strained juice of half the lemon and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then pulse again to combine. The purée should straddle the consistency line between a pâté and a mousse. Season with hot pepper sauce and more lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for a day or two.
- Serve the cold pâté in ramekins or turn out onto plates, accompanied by crackers, sliced baguette or pumpernickel.
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gunit
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! The fish was cooked perfectly and the flavor was out of this world. I will definitely be making this again and again.
Sk Rone
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and the fish turned out great! It was moist and flavorful, and the smokiness was perfect. I served it with a simple salad and it was a delicious meal.
Christine Hurford
[email protected]This is the best smoked bluefish recipe I've ever tried! The fish was cooked to perfection and the flavor was amazing. I will definitely be making this again.
Mahmoud Farid
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of smoked bluefish, but I thought this recipe was pretty good. The fish was cooked well and the flavor was mild.
Md Bokul
[email protected]This recipe was a bit too complicated for me. I think I'll stick to my old standby smoked bluefish recipe.
Taxhoo King
[email protected]I love smoked bluefish, and this recipe is one of the best I've tried. The fish was moist and flavorful, and the smokiness was perfect.
Catherine Clark
[email protected]Easy to follow recipe. The fish was delicious!
Zakir Shah
[email protected]The fish was a bit dry, but the flavor was good. I think I would cook it for a shorter amount of time next time.
Muhammad Bin Rajid
[email protected]This recipe was a bit too smoky for my taste. I think I would reduce the amount of liquid smoke next time. Otherwise, the fish was cooked well and the flavor was good.
Najmul islam Nayeem
[email protected]Smoked bluefish is one of my favorite dishes, and this recipe did not disappoint. The fish was cooked perfectly and the flavor was amazing. I especially liked the addition of the brown sugar and paprika to the rub. It gave the fish a nice sweet and s
Mario Araujo
[email protected]I've never had smoked bluefish before, but I'm glad I tried this recipe. It was easy to follow and the fish turned out great. The smokiness was perfect and the fish was cooked to perfection. I served it with a simple salad and it was a delicious meal
Mortuza mortuza
[email protected]This smoked bluefish recipe was a total hit! The fish had a beautiful golden-brown crust and the flesh was flaky and moist. The flavor was out of this world - smoky, salty, and slightly sweet. I'll definitely be making this again.