Did you know that mullet are one of Floridaโs biggest commercial fisheries? The state supplies nearly 9.5 million pounds of them to markets throughout the country and abroad. Each year around this time, entire festivals are held in fishing villages like Niceville, Woodland, and Mims to celebrate the start of the annual mullet run through the Gulf of Mexico. Did you know that mullet are herbivores that feed on plant matter floating in the water column? To cleanse mud and other particles from their gills they often make acrobatic leaps out of the water. Did you know that they have one of the highest contents of Omega-3 fatty acids and other essential amino acids and that their natural oils are high in vitamins and minerals?
For true Floridians, smoked mullet is a regional delicatessen. Surprising, huh? Did you also know that you can substitute cottage cheese for some of the mayonnaise in traditional smoked mullet dip recipe to give your spread a lighter, healthier taste? Even I, a lifetime connoisseur of fresh smoked fish spreads, was skeptical of that one until I tried it out myself.
With a little help from cottage cheese, I decided to put a healthy twist on the traditional Florida smoked fish dip. Since this cottage cheese was thicker and not as soupy as most other cottage cheeses, it made for a welcome substitution that didnโt alter the overall texture or consistency of the spread while adding a hint of sweet and cheesy flavor to compliment the salty taste of the mullet.
Not only does Friendship Dairiesโข cottage cheese make the recipe taste better, you get up to an extra 15g of protein per serving. Iโll admit it. I was surprised.
Here is an extremely simple recipe if you want to give it a shot. Even if you donโt consider yourself a fan of cottage cheese, youโll probably be surprised about how good this is too.
You’re going to need two large smoked mullet filets, 1 cup Friendship Dairiesโข Cottage Cheese, 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 2 oz celery, 1 oz. fresh chives, and 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning to get started.
We also use ground horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, 2 Key limes, and a pinch of cayenne pepper with salt and pepper to taste.
Since instructions on smoking mullet filets would probably take up an entire blog post, weโll just assume your fish has already been smoked to your liking (or maybe you brought some home from the aforementioned mullet festivals). The next step is to flake the fish by pulling it apart with a pair of forks. Dice celery and chives. Set aside some of the chopped chives since you will be using it as a garnish to give your spread some color when you serve it. In a large mixing bowl, add fish, celery, chives, mayo and cottage cheese with seasoning, horseradish, Worcestershire. Cut limes and squeeze in juice. Mix all ingredients until it becomes a chunky paste.
Serve on your favorite wheat crackers. Sprinkle chives and cayenne pepper on top. This makes enough dip to feed 6 to 8 people. You donโt even have to tell your guests that they are eating cottage cheese. Let it be our little surprise.
Florida Smoked Fish Dip
Try this smoked fish dip!
Ingredients
- 2 large smoked mullet filets
- 1 cup Friendship Dairiesโข Cottage Cheese
- 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 oz celery
- 1 oz. fresh chives
- 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp. ground horseradish
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Key limes
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start with smoked mullet filets. You can find them at the store or a seafood market if you don't smoke them yourself.
- The next step is to flake the fish by pulling it apart with a pair of forks.
- Dice celery and chives. Set aside some of the chopped chives since you will be using it as a garnish to give your spread some color when you serve it.
- In a large mixing bowl, add fish, celery, chives, mayo and cottage cheese with seasoning, horseradish, Worcestershire.
- Cut limes and squeeze in juice.
- Mix all ingredients until it becomes a chunky paste.
- Serve on favorite stoned wheat crackers. Sprinkle chives and cayenne pepper on top.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 966mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 13g
The nutritional information here is an estimate. While I try to provide accurate information via Nutritionix, this information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that it will be completely accurate. I am not a certified nutritionist and any information sunnysweetdays.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Need more seafood recipes?
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