In the early 90s, I began frequenting a restaurant called Big Fish in Dearborn, Michigan, part of a restaurant group owned by local restauranteur Chuck Muer. Muer was the grandson of Joe Muer, the owner of the historic east side Detroit restaurant which bore his name for decades. At Big Fish each meal came with complimentary smoked fish pate, which was frequently bluefish pate, served with broken pieces of unsalted matzo. For years I have wanted to know with certainty that I could recreate the pate myself. Recently, I found an article in a Fort Lauderdale newspaper with the recipe, provided by the dining room manager from another Chuck Muer restaurant located in Florida. The article was for subscribers only, so with the assistance of a very helpful reference librarian from the Broward County library, I received the recipe in my inbox.
Smoked bluefish can be challenging to source. It took me about nine months to find the smoked bluefish. Had I inquired at local fish markets earlier, it is likely to not have taken nearly so long. After contacting my local fish market, The Lobster Pot, located on Harper near Cadieux on Detroit’s east side, they were able to provide the smoked bluefish in just a few weeks after I first inquired about the fish.
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Equipment:
Charley’s Crab Smoked Bluefish Pate
This smoky fish pate is an excellent starter for a seafood meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the fish in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients except the parsley to the mixing bowl or food processor and mix or process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a storage bowl. Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, place pate in a serving bowl and smooth top with a knife dipped in warm water. Garnish with chopped parsley.