By Rebecca Frisker
This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher.
Few things are more reminiscent of classic Jewish deli fare than whitefish salad. And while buying it by the pint is a weekend morning luxury, making your own whitefish salad might be even better because you can tailor it to your exact flavor preferences.
Not a dill fan? Skip it! Like things uber-tart? Add more lemon juice. The only thing that’s non-negotiable: smoked fish.
Still, there’s room for creativity — this salad is just as tasty when made with whitefish as it is with hot-smoked salmon or trout.
As for the dairy that tethers together the salad, nothing is as delightfully rich as creamy labneh, but you could just as easily sub in full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream if you have them on hand.
Serve this smoked fish salad with toasted marbled rye bread (the superior choice, in my opinion) or make a bagel sandwich, though you could just as easily swap the bread for a pile of crisp Little Gem or Bibb lettuce with a handful of crackers on the side. Just don’t skip an extra squeeze of lemon to finish.
Whitefish Salad with Labneh and Lemon
Ingredients
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon plus more juice to taste
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup labneh, Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 2 pounds hot-smoked whitefish, trout or salmon, picked off the bone
- 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the bias plus any leaves, reserved
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
- Rye toast, bagels or crackers, for serving
- Crisp lettuce and/or sliced cucumbers, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Combine scallions, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Stir in labneh (start with 1/2 cup and add more to taste after the following ingredients), then fold in picked fish, sliced celery, parsley, all but 1 tablespoon dill and sliced chives. Season with more salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
- Top with reserved dill and celery leaves. Serve with toast, bagels or crackers, as well as lettuce, cucumbers and lemon.
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