Modern Day Gefilte Fish Recipe

How to make it

---

• Make the fish part
• If not bought already ground: Using a food processor/or meat grinder, grind fish first , then grind onion.
• You want a ground consistency not a liquidy puree consistency.
• Place fish and onions in a large bowl.
• Add the fork beaten eggs, salt and pepper optional sugar and just enough matzoh meal to bind.
• Mix by hand with wooden spoon until well combined.
• If a spoon stands up in the mixture it is just right.
• If too thin, ad a bit more matzoh meal.
• Since I don't drain the ground onions, the onion juice acts as additional liquid which flavors the fish.
• Shape mixture into balls or torpedo shapes like bottled gefilte fish.
• Gently drop into the fish broth.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and gently simmer 1 1 /2 to 2 hours.
• Fish will swell up a bit.
• When you test one they should be just like the jar consistency, firm enough to be formed nicely and yet a nice soft texture.
• Some like to let fish cool in the broth, others remove fish to a casserole dish.
• You don't have to cover the balls in the stock if you don't want.
• However, the stock whether reduced or not ( even boiled down further - optional ) will keep the fish moist and add more flavor .
• For presentation remove fish from the gelled stock.
• Yield: : 1 1/2 dozen of traditional oval shaped and sized bottled gefilte fish.
• Presentation:
• Place fish on a platter and surround if desired by cooked carrots, cooked celery, sprigs of fresh parsley.
• Of course horseradish and mustard for those who like it or however you want to present it.
• Tips even your grandmother may not know !
• Liberally salt the stock as well as the gifilte fish mixture with coarse kosher salt and freshly grated black pepper.
• When the fish cools in the savory stock, they will absorb more of the good flavor.
• Sugar is optional but just a bit of sugar ( 1 tsp for fish mixture , 3 to 5 tsp for stock ) will bring out the savory tastes in the fish as well as the stock without making it sweet.
• Some cooks also like to add a bit of paprika to the fish or to the stock- up to you.
• Fish will last up to a week chilled covered in the fridge so I like to make them a few days ahead of time.
• Yes fish can be frozen also!
• Optional methods:
• Baking : form fish into loaves if desired ( form fish mixture into long roll like salami but perhaps in a 3 inch width roll. )
• Bake in several inches of water along with carrots, celery, sweet onions, kosher salt , pepper and fresh thyme for about an hour at 350 F.
• Spoon on the broth over fish, several times when baking. I find that baking is not as good as the cooking in the broth but still is an easy alternative method.
• Then remove pan of fish out of oven to cool .
• When cool, place in the fridge for several hours or even over night..
• This allows the fish to cool down and firm back up so you can slice it into round or oval shapes if you have formed it into a roll.
• Deep Fry: Some peple love them prepared this way:
• Form into ping pong shape balls and deep fry them!
• Great with a creamy horse radish sauce or tarter sauce ! Really a must try once thing.
• Pan Fry : some people actually pan fry the formed uncooked gefilte fish mixture first and then add it to the pot with the broth to finish cooking..
• The pan frying adds some flavor and texture but I feel it is not a necessary step. But it's nice to know !
• Lastly, don't let people make you believe that making gefilte fish is hard or even time consuming. It is not.
• So impress your guests this year with flavorful gefilte fish! If you can make homemade soup, you can make this!