All the fish in the jack family (the most familiar around here are pompano and amberjack) have a higher-than-average oil content and so are perfect for smoking. Cold smoking also works well for salmon, mackerel, or tuna. The fish picks up a terrific smoke flavor throughout, without getting a barbecued taste.

I learned how to make this from chef Roland Huet, the original chef at Christian’s, who developed the method for that restaurant’s excellent ho