Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Mr. Right’s Smoked Fish Dip -- #recipe @LeslieBudewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: Mr. Right loves smelly fish. This makes him enormously popular with the cat, aka Mr. Kitten. I, on the other hand, can take it or leave it. That’s okay—boys need their bonding experiences, and enjoying a can of sardines or a bite of smoked salmon together is good for the male psyche.

But then the packages began arriving.

Mr. Right keeps close ties with several high school friends. One—who shall remain nameless—is actually referred to in our house as He Who Shall Remain Nameless, because of his tendency to show up on short notice mere days, or in one case, 20 minutes, after his name comes up in conversation, despite living several hundred miles away.

These days, Nameless lives in Eastern Washington taking care of his elderly father. By that I mean they fish. They get in the camper, drive across the valley, and fish. Or they drive across the state, or around the West, and fish. Nameless smokes those fish, mainly trout. And then he packs them up, freezes them, and sends little padded envelopes full of smoked fish to us.

To both Mr. Right’s surprise and mine, I love it. Especially in this dip, which Mr. Right created to showcase the newest batch, smoked over cherry wood. (Nameless is working out a maple-smoked process for the next catch.) While we used the smoked trout, this dip would also work beautifully with salmon, or any other smoked fish. Although we haven’t tried it yet with a dash or two of cayenne or smoked paprika, we think it would be tasty.

I’m sure Nameless would approve. In fact, I think I hear a truck and camper in the driveway...


Mr. Right’s Smoked Fish Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces sour cream
½ to 1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 green onions, chopped
4 ounces smoked fish, chopped

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and lemon juice until smooth and well-blended. Stir in the chopped onions and fish.

Serve with crackers or toasted slices of baguette. Eat and enjoy!



From the cover of TREBLE AT THE JAM FEST, Food Lovers' Village Mystery #4 (Midnight Ink, June 8, 2017):  

Erin Murphy, manager of Murphy’s Mercantile (aka the Merc), is tuning up for Jewel Bay’s annual Jazz Festival. Between keeping the Merc’s shelves stocked with Montana’s tastiest local fare and hosting the festival’s kick-off concert, Erin has her hands full.

Discord erupts when jazz guitarist Gerry Martin is found dead on the rocks above the Jewel River. The one-time international sensation had fallen out of sync with festival organizers, students, and performers. Was his death an accident?or did someone even the score?

Despite the warning signs to not get involved, Erin investigates. And when the killer attacks, she orchestrates her efforts into one last crescendo, hoping to avoid a deadly finale.



Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries—and the first author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction. The past president of Sisters in Crime, she lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.

Swing by my website and join the mailing list for my seasonal newsletter. And join me on Facebook where I announce lots of giveaways from my cozy writer friends.

6 comments:

  1. That does sound good.
    On bagels? Chips? Celery? In a crepe?

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  2. My husband and son both like smoked fish. Me? NO! I had a very unfortunate experience with smoked salmon years ago. Never again. Somehow the smoke and the oils do not agree with my innards.

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    1. Smoked salmon can be pretty strong, for sure. Took me years to decide I could eat a particular food I swore I hated -- turns out I ate it as a kid, got sick, and blamed the food, but my mother swears I was getting sick anyway and the food was innocent!

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  3. I love smoked foods and often add smoked paprika to a dish just because I can. This dip sounds great... and a good use of these surprise gifts from your hubby's friend! And I, too, love sardines, much to my family's chagrin. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

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    1. You're welcome! Sardines? I share your family's chagrin, but Mr. Right would happily pluck a couple out of the cute little tin with you!

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