Smoked-Whitefish Sandwiches with Brussels Sprouts and Radicchio Slaw

Smoked whitefish, smoked trout, smoked salmon—all make delicious salads for sandwiches. Keep the dressing on the light side (not too much of any ingredient) so that the rich smokiness reigns in the dish. I added a little chopped olive and spicy chile to the creamy sauce simply for a good balance of flavors.

To top the salad, I went with a crisp, fresh mix of raw Brussels sprouts, colorful radicchio, and cilantro dressed with a light and lemony vinaigrette. Give the slaw time to marinate in the fridge to slightly soften the sprouts and develop the flavors.

Already-smoked fish is sold in lots of markets, but smoking your own is simple and takes less than half an hour once the coals are ready. If you’re smoking your own, keep it minimal: rub the filet (skin on one side) with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Smoke it skin-side down 25-30 minutes, let it cool, remove the skin, then combine the fish and sauce. That’s it.

Whitefish Ready to Smoke

Smoked Whitefish

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Slaw

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
• 1 cup thinly sliced (shredded) radicchio
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Slaw Ingredients

For the Whitefish Sandwiches

• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp finely chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 1 small serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless smoked whitefish, pulled into small chunks
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 kaiser rolls or large sandwich buns, lightly toasted

Preparation

For the Slaw

1. Combine the lemon juice, oil, and honey in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place the Brussels sprouts, radicchio, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 2 hours.

Dressed Slaw Ready to Marinate

Marinated Slaw

For the Whitefish Sandwiches

Combine the first 7 ingredients (through serrano chile) in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the smoked whitefish and season with salt and pepper.

Mayo Mixture

Smoked Whitefish Ready for Sauce

Whitefish Combined with Sauce

To serve, divide and mound the fish salad on the bottoms of the rolls. Top with slaw and place the tops on the rolls. Slice each sandwich in half and serve.