Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
For the dip:
- 1 lb. smoked trout (either store-bought with skin removed OR make your own with Chef Andy’s Smoked Trout Cure)
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup celery, finely diced
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the smoked trout cure:
- 1 ½ cups kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Zest of 2 limes
- 1 Tbsp. caraway seeds
- 1 Tbsp. dill seeds
- 1 Tbsp. Szechuan peppercorns
- 5 lbs. fresh trout filets
Directions
For the dip:
Remove all the skin from the smoked trout and place the meat in a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, sour cream, and mayonnaise, and gently fold together. Be careful not to break up all of the trout. Fold in the lemon juice and black pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice or pepper if needed. Place in a small container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with an assortment of crackers, crostini, and vegetables.
For the smoked trout cure:
Combine all ingredients except trout and mix well. Generously sprinkle both sides of the trout filets with the salt cure, making sure to use all of the salt mixture. Place the trout in a non-reactive container, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours. While the trout is curing, prepare your smoker. After 4 hours, rinse the remaining cure off of the trout and smoke for 30 minutes or until cooked through. The skin should pull away from the flesh very easily. Cool the trout in the refrigerator.
