Smoked Bluefish Salad

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Bluefish is abundant in the summer in New England. A rich, oily fish, it's best cooked the day it's caught, so try to find a friend who can catch some for you—or, better yet, try your hand at fishing the "blues" yourself!

Serves 4–6

Smoked Bluefish:
2 pounds bluefish filets
kosher salt, to taste

Dressing:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste

Salad:
Mixed greens
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half
1 bunch scallions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 medium cucumber, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 bunch radishes, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 cups heirloom tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup chopped dill
½ cup chopped parsley

Pat bluefish dry and season liberally with salt. Prepare grill for indirect heat (about 200°.)  Place bluefish on cool side. Check every 30 minutes and add more coals if needed. Fish is done when thermometer reads 145°, about 1 hour. Remove and cool.

While fish is smoking, boil and peel the eggs.

Make the dressing by combining mayonnaise, mustard, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and herbs. Break fish into 1- to 2-inch pieces—removing any skin and checking carefully for bones—and gently fold into the dressing.

Arrange greens, eggs and vegetables on a serving plate. Top with bluefish salad and finish with more dill and parsley.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2018 issue as part of a larger story on Backyard Smoking.

Michael Floreak is a food writer who lives in Cambridge, but is working hard to eat and cook his way around the world. His articles, recipes and interviews with characters from the food world have appeared regularly in the Boston Globe and Edible Boston. Michael holds a Master of Arts in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University and recently completed a Master’s of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy from Boston University. In addition to writing about food, Michael works as a brand strategist and writer. You can reach him by email at Michael.Floreak@gmail.com or follow on Twitter: @floreak.

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