Smoked Pacific whiting makes a fine stand-in for whitefish in this Jewish deli-style seafood salad
Heather Arndt Anderson / OPB

Superabundant

Recipe: Smoked whiting salad

By Heather Arndt Anderson (OPB)
June 20, 2025 1 p.m.

So many seafood salads, so little time

Looking for the rest of the Superabundant newsletter?

Subscribe now to get original recipes, PNW food news, and ideas for the kitchen and garden!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

Here’s an Oregon spin on the creamy, dill-flecked bagel topping found in every New York Jewish appetizing store (aka “appy”), but instead of using whitefish from the Great Lakes, it uses local Pacific whiting, also known as hake.

You may have never heard of hake, but it’s the most abundant fish species found off the Oregon shore — it constitutes the largest portion of all commercially harvested seafood on the West Coast. It’s mainly used to make surimi (the imitation crab in your California rolls), but it’s also added to minced fish blends for fish sticks and other frozen products. Because it’s so abundant and affordable, it’s the main fish used in USDA national food programs, including school lunches.

Before urban renewal projects razed South Portland neighborhoods in the 1960s, Jewish delis were fairly commonplace in that part of town. Decades later, you still have to hunt around a bit to satisfy cravings for knishes, bialys and smoked fish spreads, or if you’re like me, you can roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. No smoker? No problem — this recipe uses an easy DIY stove-top method that works with any fish. Makes 2 cups.

Special equipment needed: Dutch oven or wok, metal grill rack or steamer basket, aluminum foil, smoker wood chips (available online or in hardware stores)

Note: I originally created this recipe for the Oregon Trawl Commission as part of a campaign to promote sustainable Pacific groundfish fisheries on the Oregon Coast, with funding from the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Ingredients

1 pound whiting/hake fillet (skin-on is fine)

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

¼ cup sour cream or crème fraîche

1 finely diced celery rib

¼ cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. One day ahead of time, pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay the fillets skin side down on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. (This step forms the pellicle, which helps the smoke flavor adhere to the fish.)
  2. Make a foil pouch: place about ½ cup of mild wood chips (such as alder or apple) onto an 8-inch length of aluminum foil, then fold the foil over and crease the edges to close. Poke some holes in the foil pouch and lay it inside a large Dutch oven, wok, or hotel pan. Set a rack or inverted steamer basket over the wood pouch and lay the fish on a sheet of oiled foil on top of the rack. Tightly wrap the top of the wok or pan with foil, then set the whole contraption over the burner. Turn the burner on high, then listen carefully for crackling sounds to let you know the wood chips have ignited. After about 5 minutes, reduce the heat to medium low and let the fish cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the smoker sit for another 10 minutes to cool down, then take it outdoors to remove the foil (so you don’t smoke out your kitchen).
  3. Carefully remove the skin if the fillets were skin-on and flake the fish into a large bowl with a fork. Gently fold together the ingredients until evenly combined, taking care not to mush the fish up too much. Taste and adjust seasoning according to your preference. Serve with toasted bagels, black or rye bread or your favorite crackers. Sprinkle more chopped dill on top for garnish.

Don’t forget to subscribe!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

Tags: Superabundant newsletter, Superabundant, Food, Recipes, Recipe, Food And Farms, History


Become a Sustainer now and help ensure a strong future for OPB’s fact-based reporting, in-depth news and engaging programs.
Thanks to our members, public media thrives in the Pacific Northwest.