Special Occasion Smoked Bluefish Pate Recipes

Steps:

• Puree the bluefish, cream cheese, butter, and Cognac in a food processor. Add the onion, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Pulse the machine on and off until the ingredients are combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pack into a serving dish and sprinkle with the nuts, if using.

Steps:

• To smoke bluefish: Build a small charcoal fire in one-third of a grill fitted with a lid. When the coals are covered with gray ash and the fire is at medium heat (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 3 to 4 seconds), add a handful of the wet hickory chips to the fire. Rub the fish with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the fish, flesh side down, on the grill directly over the coals. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes, then transfer to the side of the grill without coals. Cover the grill and cook until the fish is opaque all the way through, about 6 minutes more. Remove the fish and let cool completely.
• Make the pâté: Flake the bluefish into the bowl of a food processor, discarding the skin. Add the cream cheese, butter and Cognac and pulse to combine. Add the onions, the strained juice of half the lemon and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then pulse again to combine. The purée should straddle the consistency line between a pâté and a mousse. Season with hot pepper sauce and more lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for a day or two.
• Serve the cold pâté in ramekins or turn out onto plates, accompanied by crackers, sliced baguette or pumpernickel.

Steps:

• Crumble or shred the fish semi-fine.
• Whip the cream cheese in the mixer until ligt, then add the fish and remaining ingredients and mix until combined.
• Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate, covered with plastic, until service.
• Serve with crackers.

Steps:

• Stir together shallot, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then beat in cream cheese, bluefish, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with a spoon until combined well. Stir in chives.

Steps:

• Puree bluefish, cream cheese, and butter in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in lemon juice, horseradish, mustard, cayenne, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Oil a rimmed baking sheet. Toss tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme, and arrange tomatoes cut sides down on baking sheet. Bake until shriveled and starting to brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool completely. Transfer tomatoes and juices to a serving dish.
• To serve, spread pate on crackers, top with a roasted tomato half, and drizzle with juices.