Smoked Whitefish Salad

Serve this Jewish deli classic from Little Brother in Des Moines with crackers or on toast. It doesn't really need a garnish, but if you're feeling fancy, top with hard-cooked egg yolk (passed through a sieve), pickled onions or more fresh dill.

Smoked Whitefish Salad
Inspired by the memory of a family-favorite Chicago-area deli, Kaufman’s, Joe Tripp smokes the sturgeon himself for the creamy, celery-flecked whitefish salad at Little Brother. (You, of course, can just buy smoked fish at the supermarket.) Scoop the salad on toast or crackers, and if you’re feeling extra, add fresh dill, hard-boiled egg yolk and pickled onions. Photo: Carson Downing
Hands On Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
2 3/4 cups

Ingredients

  • 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

  • ½ of an onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

  • 1 ½ cups coarsely flaked smoked whitefish (purchased or homemade)

  • cup mayonnaise

  • ¼ cup creme fraiche or sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add celery and onion; blanch until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Drain well and pat dry.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine celery, onion, fish, mayonnaise, creme fraiche, lemon juice, dill, parsley and salt. Mix everything together loosely. (Don't overmix.) Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired. The final product should have some texture and larger chunks of smoked fish. If salad seems dry, add a bit more mayonnaise for desired consistency.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

169 Calories
13g Fat
2g Carbs
9g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 169
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 574mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 241mg 5%
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