Smoked Fish

About

Smoked flavor comes primarily from compounds such as guaiacol, which has an aromatic, sweet, smoked-sausage character, and eugenol, the main flavor component in clove; both are also found in barrel-aged wines, which is part of why smoked fish pairs naturally with oaked Chardonnay. Smoked fish can also carry leathery, medicinal, fruity, whisky, cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla notes, with the exact profile depending on how the fish was prepared (for example, ungutted fish like bloaters taste gamier than gutted fish) and on the smoking process itself, including wood type and smoking time. Liquid smoke is often used as a faster, cheaper substitute for actual smoking, for seafood as well as meat and tofu. This entry covers smoked salmon, trout, mackerel, haddock, eel, and herring.

Pairs well with smoked fish

• CiLemonLemon, along with pepper and horseradish cream, complements the rich, earthy flavor of smoked eel and trout.
• EaPotatoPotato and smoked fish are a staple pairing in northern European cooking: the potato bulks out the dish and tempers the fish's strong…
• SuEggThe pairing spans the day: kedgeree (flaked smoked haddock, turmeric rice, peas, boiled egg) for breakfast, an egg mayonnaise and smoked…
• CrCoconutIn Thailand, small fish called pla grop are slowly smoked over coconut husks, giving them a flavor writer David Thompson compares to…
• MaShellfishIn fish pie, smoked fish provides a pungent contrast to milder white fish, while shrimp adds a textural contrast to both, though white…
• SuOnionThin raw red onion rings cut through the richness of smoked salmon while matching its bold flavor, making a classic bagel-and-cream-cheese…
• GrParsleyParsley's grassy, mineral, almost rain-soaked flavor complements salty smoked fish well, finely chopped and scattered over scrambled eggs…
• GrPeaPeas go well with both fish and smoked ham, so pairing them with smoked haddock in kedgeree or risotto lets them do both, their sweetness…
• SuCabbageIn choucroute de la mer, a seafood variation on the classic Alsatian dish, smoked fish plays the role smoked ham does in the meat version,…
• ChSoft CheeseLox (technically brine-cured rather than smoked salmon) and cream cheese became a staple of Jewish-American cuisine after Russian and…
• GrDillDill fronds are used to garnish smoked salmon and sour-cream buckwheat blini, and to flavor a creamy pasta sauce with smoked salmon; dill…
• MuCaperA classic garnish for smoked salmon, capers cut through its fattiness and heighten its perceived sweetness by contrast.
• MuWatercressRich, salty smoked fish pairs well with watercress's heat but benefits from a softening, slightly sweet element, eggs and cream in a tart,…
• FrCherryHot-smoked sea trout pairs well with a tart morello cherry compote (fresh cherries briefly simmered with brown sugar), served warm…
• MuHorseradishHorseradish's strong association with beef has overshadowed its natural affinity for oily fish, though the pairing remains prominent in…
• MaCaviarSmoked salmon and caviar is a familiar, luxurious pairing; some Paris restaurants also serve various caviars alongside smoked trout, eel…