I was at Costco recently and saw a BIG TUB of whitefish salad for sale at a reasonable price. I almost purchased it but looked at the ingredients first. I thought I was looking at a tub of mayonnaise …..the first ingredient wasn’t fish…it was mayonnaise. Do you know that mayonnaise is 100 calories and also 100 calories of fat a tablespoon? I was looking at a tub that was mostly just fat. The tub of whitefish salad also contained smoked fish of uncertain quality. I say that because once in a deli I received whitefish salad that was inedible and the owner confessed that all the old dried ends of whitefish are saved for the whitefish salad. I prefer my smoked fish salad to be made with meaty mildly smoked moist fish that is lightly dressed and without so much unhealthy added fat. Low fat mayonnaise runs about 40 calories a tablespoon but only contains 4 g of fat. Somehow the blend of fat free cream cheese, low fat mayonnaise and non fat greek yogurt taste amazing for this salad. Costco sells an excellent whole smoked whitefish at a very reasonable price. In Phoenix you sure won’t be able to smoke a fish yourself for cheaper…..So I purchased the smoked fish and figured out a much healthier but still delicious version of whitefish salad. This recipe will make at least 9 scrumptious servings. For the best results possible you need to use the quality Acme of New York Brand Smoked Whitefish that Costco is selling right now because it’s very moist from a better quality meaty fish and isn’t over smoked, dried out or over salted like most of the other brands are. I don’t think this product is available for long and might only be here for the Passover/ Easter Time Holidays at Costco. Smoked whitefish can be purchased from your local deli but it will be Forking expensive. Smoked whitefish can also be purchased online but this product will be FORKING expensive that way too. On Amazon I saw the same size smoked whitefish at $100.00 but at Costco right now all that fish will only cost you around $16.00 so it’s a big deal if you want to give it a try. Smoked Whitefish Salad can be an interesting alternative to a lobster or crab salad.
Ingredients for around 9 servings
3 oz fat free cream cheese (fat free cream cheese taste terrible and can only be used in recipes to reduce fat….((no worries …. it taste good here))
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1 celery stalk – fine chopped
2 Tablespoons sweet onion – fine chopped
1 lemon – the zest and half the juice if very juicy….if one the dry side all of the juice
1 scallion – fine chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh dill – chopped
good pinch ground white pepper
1.75 lb whole smoked whitefish – preferably Acme of New York Brand – head, tail, fins, skin, bones removed. Leave chunks as big as possible.
Directions
In a large bowl mix the cream cheese with the mayo till smooth. Then add the yogurt and mix again till smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest till smooth. Next add the celery, onion and scallions, dill and white pepper. Carefully stir in the fish and try to keep it chunky as possible.
Serve with half a tosted bagel, flat bread or crackers, sliced onion, sliced tomato and some pickles. Some people would also like a hard boiled egg too.
This Whitefish Salad is FORKING BETTER and Forking HEALTHIER than whitefish salads I’ve tried from the deli. NOBODY will suspect that this is anything but a delicious Whitefish Salad.
