Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Smoked Salmon Dip.

Mr. Hawthorne's new favorite toy is his indoor stove top smoker. He's already smoked a chicken and I made smoked chicken salad roll ups. Today, Mr. Hawthorne is smoking salmon.
I don't care much for salmon.
Mr. Hawthorne is planning to use this salmon for a dip and for salmon cakes. He hickory smoked it for about 1 hour. He would have smoked less for other salmon preparations.
Here's his dip: 5 parts smoked salmon 1 part sour cream 4 parts cream cheese, softened 1 part mayonnaise 1 -2 TB lemon juice (to taste) Old Bay seasoning Wait a minute, Mr. Hawthorne. When you say a "part," how big is a part? In this case 4 parts of cream cheese was 8 ounces - one package. And 5 parts of salmon was 10 ounces. It's the new Hawthorne Math. Taste and adjust as needed. Use what you have. And here's Rosie Tip #999: Whenever you have a fish salad, like tuna salad or this salmon spread, and have made enough to last 2-3 days, always add lemon juice each day to "freshen" the fish up. Mr. Hawthorne shows how to prepare the smoked salmon: Mr. Hawthorne has already made one batch of this salmon dip, or spread, as he calls it. It's too thick to be a dip. This is the last 10 ounces of the smoked salmon.
Mr. Hawthorne breaks up the meat.
I'd put in the whole lemon. But that's just me. Mr. Hawthorne waits for his cream cheese to soften.
Mr. Hawthorne added in the cream cheese gradually.
The clothespin was my idea. Sour cream in. And mayo. Work it.
Sprinkle with Old Bay and serve with crackers. I don't like salmon, but I love this. I guess I love salmon now. I'll have to add salmon to the list of foods that I used to not like - wouldn't go so far as to say hate - I don't think. First it was blue cheese. Second it was cilantro. Third it is salmon. Taken about 30 years, but it's been worth it. What's will be the fourth distasteful food to pass these lips onto welcoming taste buds? I wonder. I can't think of anything right now that I don't like. What about my readers? Are there foods out there that you would not ingest? I'd like to know because I'm looking for something I don't like and want to turn it into something I do like. Please comment on this issue. I love your comments. And you may include both: 1) Foods you've actually tasted before and don't like 2) Foods you've never even eaten before and say you don't like. Inquiring minds want to know.

14 comments:

Marilyn said...

I will have to try that. I too don't care for salmon as it has an overpowering taste, but I have had it prepared in such a way that I have enjoyed it, so I can't say that I hate it.

Now, lima beans I do hate.

I've never eaten greens, but I just can't imagine eating them as they remind me too much of the canned spinach cooked with vinegar that my mother used to force down my throat as a child. Deep-seated trauma, that.

Marion said...

1. Okra. Collards. Baked apples. Acorn squash.

2. Durian. Pig's feet. Pig's ears.

Remind me to tell you how to slow-cook salmon for that silky, moist texture.

dle said...

1. Hummus (like everything that goes into it but not finished product...go figure),stewed tomatoes,okra (unless its fried)
2. Beets

Anonymous said...

I know this will surprise you because I am a faithful reader of this blog, but here goes: oysters, mussels, most of the rest of fish dishes, pig head (CELINE!), organ meat from any animal. I like most of the other stuff (haven't met a veg I don't like) and could live on potatoes.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

I can't imagine canned spinach, so I'll give you a pass on the greens, Mar.

Marion, baked apples and acorn squash seem rather innocuous. I can make a stuffed acorn squash that you'd want to eat with ice cream.

dle, I must admit I'm not a fan of hummus, beets, or okra either.

NMOAC, don't knock pig head before you try it. I can't help you with the seafood though. Le sigh.

SweetPhyl said...

I dont' do beets either. And I'm not real partial to Bluefish. Licorice and incarnations thereof: anise, ouzo, Good n Plenty. You can have it!

Rosie Hawthorne said...

OK SweetPhyl, I forgot about the bluefish. However, one time Mr. Hawthorne smoked it and made a spread similar to the salmon and it was edible.

Ditto on licorice. Although I like basil and tarragon, both of which have some of that flavor. I had some biscotti not long ago that had a drop of anise oil in it and it was the perfect amount.

Mr. P said...

That dip looks delicious. I wonder if my wife would make it. Hmmm. I will have to send her to your site Rosie. Thanks!!

Becky said...

Olives I do not care for so much. Rosie, do you like olives? Can you get me to love olives? Maybe we can live without them.

And dle, ditto on the hummus.

Anonymous said...

Pigs feet. Never tried them, but my husband swears he can make them so I'll love them.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Becky, I didn't like black olives until my thirties. Green olives took another decade. Now I love both.

Anony, haven't tried the trotters, but I'm open. Would love your husband's recipe.

SweetPhyl said...

Rosie, the ONLY thing that should have tarrgon in it is Bernaise. That's it. Basil, I love--weird no? As for okra, I can fry you up a batch that tastes so good it'll make you slap yo' mama! We eat it like popcorn. Love it stewed with tomatoes, too. And what is a good gumbo without okra? Methinks you need to give this much maligned veg another try!

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Sweetphyl, I just haven't had okra prepared properly. I'd love for you to fry me up a batch!

SweetPhyl said...

Rosie, we'll have to get together and do just that! Fried okar coming up! Let's wait until it comes in locally so we know it's good and fresh....I'll holla at ya when I spot some at the local market.