Bradley, Seafood

Smoked Snapper Dip

Ingredients for Dip:

  • 8 ounces Smoked Snapper (see below) or other smoked fish
  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 Tblsp Dark Rum
  • 1 Tblsp finely chopped Scallion greens
  • 1 tsp freshly grated Lemon zest
  • ¼ tsp Ground Allspice
  • Coarse Salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper

For the smoked snapper:

  • 1 ½ Pounds fresh Snapper or other fish fillets
  • For the Brine:
    • ¼ cup Brown Sugar
    • ¼ cup coarse Salt (sea or kosher)
    • 1 Tblsp cracked Black Peppercorns
    • 3 Allspice Berries
    • 3 Cloves
    • 1 Cinnamon stick
    • 2 Quarts water
    • ½ cup Dark Rum
    • Bradley Flavour Bisquettes – Apple

Directions

  1. Run your fingers over the fish fillets, feeling for bones. Pull out any you find with kitchen tweezers. Trim off any dark portions from the skin side of the fillets using a sharp knife. (This is where the “fishy” flavour resides).
  2. Place the brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and water in a large deep bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the fish, cover with plastic wrap, and brine in the refrigerator for 8 hours, turning several times.
  3. Drain the fish in a colander and discard the brine. Rinse well under cold running water, drain, and blot dry with paper towels. Arrange the fish on one of the Bradley wire racks (oil it first) and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Let the snapper air-dry in the refrigerator until the surface feels tacky (1 hour).
  4. Set up the Bradley Smoker and preheat to 121°C (250°F). using Apple Flavour Bisquettes. Smoke the snapper on its wire rack until bronzed with smoke and cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. To test for doneness, press it with your finger; the flesh should break into clean flakes.
  5. Transfer the snapper on its rack to a rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving. It will keep for at least 3 days in the refrigerator.
  6. Flake the smoked snapper into a food processor, discarding any skin or bones. Coarsely or finely chopped (your choice) by running the food processor in short bursts. Add the cream cheese, rum, scallions, lemon zest, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste; pulse to blend. This dip should be highly seasoned.
  7. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Serve with grilled bread or your favourite crackers. Serves 6 to 8 as a starter.

Recipe Compliments of Steven Raichlen and Bradley Smoker