It’s the season for MidLaw’s somewhat famous MidWinter Supper

It’s time once more to republish the MidLaw MidWinter Supper.

Last year the MidWinter Supper was supplemented with an enhanced fish feature, “Helen’s Famous Smoked Fish Dip” (the provenance is at the link). Some dip.

We’ll let this year’s embellishment be MidLaw’s recent inquiry into the skinning of chickpeas, which may, after all, be contra-indicated for the hummus américaine. You decide.

The Supper’s the thing. That hummus, that fish, that dip. And the beverage.

MidLaw’s Midwinter Supper (reprised) with Enhanced Fish Feature

Each year at this time, MidLaw reprises its hummus-inspired vision of a midwinter supper. This year an embellishment takes the vision to a new level.

The MidLaw formula, famously, is: “smoked trout, hummus américaine and pita chips with a paired beverage — for supper.” Helpful directions and MidLaw commentary are provided.

Now for the embellishment: trout to the next level. Here, we consult the wisdom of legendary Florida outdoors-man, Tommy Thompson. Tommy writes the Sportsman’s Kitchen column for the Florida Sportsman magazine, and he is also the progenitor of the author of Greensboro’s Mod Meals on Mendenhall. Tommy’s wisdom is to pass along his mother’s recipe, “Helen’s Famous Smoked Fish Dip.” (Before proceeding to the fish dip, pause for a moment to appreciate this felicitous family tradition of bringing food-wisdom to the masses across the generations — from Famous Helen, to the Florida Sportsman, to Mod Meals on Mendenhall!)

Helen’s Famous Smoked Fish Dip is extraordinary and the perfect complement to MidLaw’s hummus americaine. It is presented below as lifted directly from Tommy Thompson’s contribution to the Angler’s Cookbook on smoking fish. Just as the Angler’s Cookbook offers commentary on smoking fish, you may wish to consult MidLaw’s commentary on the same topic at the Midwinter post. Anyway, the fish dip (even with store-bought smoked trout) is marvelous.

Helen’s Famous Smoked Fish Dip
2 cups smoked fish meat
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped Gherkin pickles or pickle relish
1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce
Juice of a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients with a fork, taking care not to create a paste. Chunky is good.

So, here’s what you do: (1) go read MidLaw’s MidWinter Supper commentary, (2) then, go see what Tommy Thompson says about smoked fish in the Angler’s Cookbook.