Gefilte Fish

Perfectly good Gefilte Fish can be bought at the supermarket in bottles or cans. Some people like to take that fish and bake it for a while in a little fish broth, to make it seem more “homemade.” Personally, I think it spoils the taste. However, real homemade gefilte fish is the best and well worth the work.

3 lbs. of fish (a combination of whitefish, salmon, pike, carp, rockfish or buffalo—the more whitefish you use, the more delicate the flavor)
2 medium onions
3 eggs, well beaten
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar 
¼ cup matzo meal
1/3 cup water

Buy whole fish and ask the fish man at the supermarket to fillet and grind them very fine for you. They will usually do that. Take home the bones and skin. Grind or chop your onion well and combine all ingredients until mixture is soft but will hold together. Add more water or more matzo meal if necessary. Mix well. In a large pot, bring to a boil 2 quarts of water, the fish bones and skin, 1 tsp. salt, a pinch of sugar, 2 stalks of celery, sliced, one carrot , cut in thin rounds and one onion, sliced. Reduce to a simmer. Wet your hands and form fish into oval shaped patties. Slip them carefully into the water. Cook gently for 2 hours uncovered. Stock will reduce to about ½. Let fish cool slightly and remove from pot carefully. Strain stock and pour over fish. Cool and refrigerate until stock jells. If it does not, add a little unflavored gelatin to it. To serve, arrange on platter or individual small dishes and garnish with cooked carrots. Serve with horseradish. Serves 8.

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