Smoked Bluefish Dip

Ask anyone who has vacationed or worked along the New England coast in the summertime, and they’ll tell you how much they love digging into smoked bluefish dip. It’s a savory spread made with a cream cheese base, flavored with ingredients like horseradish and dill, and packed with smoked bluefish. The snack is a favorite at seaside restaurants and bars, but also at summer gatherings near the water.

Bluefish is large and abundant off the New England coast from mid to late summer. Because they’re so big and tough (they have a mouthful of sharp teeth!), they’re a favorite for ambitious anglers to reel in. Bluefish isn’t a light, delicate fish; it has a bold flavor and a meaty texture. Smoking is one of the preferred ways to prepare and preserve this fish, and the process makes it easy to chop up for dip recipes like this one. Can’t get your hands on smoked bluefish? This spread recipe works well with smoked trout, salmon or tuna.

Ingredients for Smoked Bluefish Dip

• Smoked bluefish fillets: Ask for smoke-cured bluefish fillets at local seafood markets, well-stocked grocery stores and specialty chains such as Whole Foods. Pick up skinless fillets if they’re available; if not, remove the skin from the fish for this recipe. Many online retailers also sell smoked bluefish.
• Cream cheese: Allow the cheese to soften at room temperature, or try these easy hacks to soften cream cheese quickly.
• Red onion: A fine dice is best here so that no large pieces overwhelm the dip. Chop an onion quickly and neatly without shedding too many tears by using a sharp knife.
• Fresh dill: Find fresh dill either packaged or as a small plant in the produce aisle, or snip some from your kitchen garden if you have one.
• Sour cream: Sour cream loosens up the dip and contributes a little tang, too.
• Lemon juice: Instead of using the bottled stuff, juice a fresh lemon for the best flavor.
• Lemon zest: Before juicing that lemon, use a rasp grater or the smallest holes on a box grater to remove the flavor-packed zest.
• Capers: Tangy, briny capers are made by pickling the flower buds from a Mediterranean shrub.
• Horseradish: Find jars of prepared horseradish in the condiment aisle or stocked by the seafood department. It adds a savory flavor and a hint of heat to this smoked bluefish spread.
• Options to serve: We suggest setting out assorted party crackers, fresh lemon wedges or freshly sliced vegetables to accompany this dip.

Directions

Step 1: Blend the ingredients

Scrape the skin from the fish if needed. Place the fish in a food processor, and pulse it until it’s finely chopped. Combine the cream cheese, red onion, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest, sour cream, capers and horseradish. Gently stir in the fish. Refrigerate the dip, covered, until you’re ready to serve it.

Editor’s Tip: If the smoked bluefish has the skin intact, scrape it from the flesh before blending it in the food processor.

Step 2: Serve the dip

Serve the bluefish dip with crackers, vegetables and lemon wedges. If desired, top it with additional red onion and dill.

Smoked Bluefish Dip Variations

• Try it with other smoked fish: This dip is also delicious when it’s made with different types of smoked fish. Try it with smoked salmon, smoked tuna or smoked mackerel.
• Use different herbs: Chopped fresh parsley, fennel or tarragon are all tasty additions to this dip, either in place of or alongside the fresh dill.
• Add heat: Stir in some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to give the dip a hint of spice.

How to Store Smoked Bluefish Dip

To protect the flavor and quality of the smoked bluefish dip, store it in the refrigerator. Be sure it’s tightly covered so that it doesn’t dry out.

How long does smoked bluefish dip last?

When kept chilled and in a tightly sealed food storage container, the smoked bluefish spread will last for up to four days.

Smoked Bluefish Dip Tips

What does bluefish taste like?

Fresh bluefish has an oily texture and a strong flavor, which is why it’s such a popular variety for smoking. The process dries and improves the texture of the fish. For those who find bluefish to be too fishy-tasting, smoking mellows and masks that flavor somewhat with the smoke and wood aromas.

What else can you do with smoked bluefish dip?

Smoked bluefish dip is a creamy spread that pairs perfectly with other snacks and meals. Set it out at brunch time to spread on toasted bagels. Or spread some on slices of white or rye bread, or inside split croissants with fresh lettuce to make tea sandwiches. You can even fold some of the spread into the filling for a flaky quiche or a cheesy strata.