Gefilte Fish

[ronnie_suburban]

Hi All,

I'm looking to make this from scratch for the first time, for Passover this year.

Any words of wisdom from those in the know?

Thanks

=R=

[guajolote]

lots of paprika

Edited March 24, 2004 by guajolote (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

lots of paprika 

Ok...any other things I should know?

=R=

[melkor]

Use real fish... Salmon, Snapper, and Lingcod is far better than Carp, Whitefish, and Pike.

[bloviatrix]

I use the frozen loaves. But, one of the places I get my gefilte fish makes some interesting variations. They have lemon dill, jalapeno, and almond raisin (I know it sounds gross, but it's actually pretty tasty). So, maybe go wild and do something completely non-traditional like adding some horseradish to the fish mixture.

And if you want to do something English influenced, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and deep-fry. They're amazing!

[Bicycle Lee]

an old friend of mine invited me to a passover meal and I remember eating gefilte fish that was canned. I vaguely remember them being a quenelle shape and kinda like a meaty tuna fish... I wasn't too stoked on it. But hey, it IS carp isn't it?

[hillvalley]

Fish heads fish heads fish heads

They help create the jelly. Otherwise you end up with broth.

And make sure the carp has plenty of room to swim in the bathtub

[bloviatrix]

And make sure the carp has plenty of room to swim in the bathtub

[JFLinLA]

I'm not speaking from personal experience here but my friend who makes her own fish every year buys the fish already ground. There's a place she calls, tells them what mix of fish she needs and the amounts and she shows up and gets the various types of ground fish, heads & bones in another bag, and even ground onion if she wants. She claims that you can't grind it up as well at home. Besides, that saves a lot of time. I've tasted it and it's great. I can dig up her recipe if you like.

[nanuq]

Use real fish... Salmon, Snapper, and Lingcod is far better than Carp, Whitefish, and Pike.

I don't like salmon, find it too sweet. I like the whitefish combination, this is a personal preference thing I think. With too much whitefish in the mix the result is very soft. I have a fishmonger who will grind the fish for me, with the onions if requested. Worth asking for, for the fish. I do my own onion, saute it first and deglaze the pan with a small amount of water as well. The fish balls are darker, but I prefer the flavor. I am not a fan of the jelly so I cook in a stock made with the bones etc, but don't worry if it does not set.

The most recent combo I had was about 2 pounds carp, 1 1/2 whitefish, and about a pound each of halibut and rock cod.

This was all a few years ago now, seems like I'm always visiting family on the holidays recently.

[Alex]

Several years ago I began using a recipe from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking In America -- "Elegant and Easy Gourmet Gefilte Fish Pâté." Everyone, including the skeptics, has loved it. It's baked in a bundt pan (I imagine you could use a ring mold) in a water bath. As she says in the introduction to the recipe, you get the traditional gefilte fish taste, but with a smoother texture and almost none of the hassle. Whitefish has always worked fine for me. I like serving it with a fresh horseradish-lime sauce.

1. Grind 3# fish fillets in a food processor or meat grinder. Grind fine, but don't puree.

2. Sauté 2# diced onion in 3T veg oil until soft and transparent. Cool.

3. Peel and grate 2 large carrots.

3. (A KitchenAid or equivalent mixer really helps for this step.) Beat at medium speed for 15 minutes: the fish, the onions, 4 large eggs, 2c cold water, 1T salt or to taste, 2t white pepper, 2T sugar. At the end, mix in the carrots thoroughly.

4. Pour into a greased 12-cup bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for one hour in a larger pan filled with 2" of water.

5. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour more or until the center is solid. Cool for 5 minutes then invert onto a serving plate. Refrigerate for at least several hours.

[foodie3]

be prepared to work all day and have a smelly house!

the only gefilte fish worth making is the kind you are used to from home and love. for me this means carp only, either cut into steaks (you remove the flesh mix it with onions and matzoh meal and fill the parts removed - the traditional gefilte way), or ground carp, use all of the bones for stock, split the head and fill it.

[wesza]

TRADITION, TRADITION< TRADITION !!!

The best fish used in preparing Gefelte Fish are:

Carp: There are over 8 popular Species available. But the one most popular in the USA is the Common European Carp.

Pike: Walleyed Pike or Sauger are both acceptable, they add the sweetness and character to the finished product.

White Fish: American Whitefish or Chubs are very similar to European Species.

Sucker or other varieties of the same family in Europe or America.

Talipia also known as Saint Peters Fish.

Mandarin Fish from China or Crappies from America.

These are the traditional Fresh Water Fishes used in Gefelte Fish.

The only other fish that was considered appropriate in Europe were some types of Mullets.

It's surprising how may varieties of fish are attributable to the Danube, Ural and Volga Rivers that have become traditional for our interpretation of Gefelte Fish.

In the Catskill Hotels most Gefelte Fish was made with Walleye Pike and Carp, with the Walleye Pike Bones being preferred for the Broth.

The Fishes were filleted and mixed according to every families taste preferences.

The Matzoh Meal, Eggs, Onions, Garlic, Celery, Carrots, Pepper, Salt and Sugar in some recipes are pretty standard but variations are acceptable.

I have during the last 25 years enjoyed Gefelte Fish prepared with different Salt Water Fishes but the only one's that I don't seem to be able to enjoy are those made with Salmon. I've even tried and liked Gefelte Fish made from Canned Tuna Made by my Mother [What else could I say] that really wasn't bad.

The only thing I've never seen served was Gefelte Fish with Paprika ?

Irwin

[jackal10]

I have added this recipe for Gefilte fish to the recipe archive.

Like quenelles, originally a way of making bony fish , like carp or pike easily edible. In ancient times, carp were raised in inland fish ponds,and were a significant source of protein. It made them acceptable for the Sabbath when boning was forbidden, the flesh of the fish was chopped and stuffed back into the skin. Few people now stuff the skin, but make balls instead. The fish protein, together with the egg bind them.

There are many variations. Those of Polish and Hassidic descent prefer them quite sweet. Those of Russian and Lithuanian descent prefer them not so sweet, but peppery. Some from the south add ground almonds. English tradition rolls them in coarse Matzo meal and fries. My mother added mashed potato, so they were more like a fish-cake.

Traditionally gefilte fish poached and served cold with the stock jellied, a thin slice of cooked carrot on the top and accompanied by Chrain (horseradish and beet sauce). Greeks like egg and lemon sauce

The old joke is that like Haggis, gefilte fish are difficult to catch and fillet...

Edited March 25, 2004 by jackal10 (log)

[clothier]

I like pike, whitefish and carp. But here in the Great Lake State, I have the advantadge of buying fish caught that morning, which makes a huge difference in how whitefish tastes.

Anyway, we are from the pepper side of the discussion, and using heads, skin and the rest for the stock.

I can't wait! Yum.

[clothier]

I like pike, whitefish and carp. But here in the Great Lake State, I have the advantadge of buying fish caught that morning, which makes a huge difference in how whitefish tastes.

Anyway, we are from the pepper side of the discussion, and using heads, skin and the rest for the stock.

I can't wait! Yum.

[ronnie_suburban]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advices. I can't wait to get elbow deep in fish guts.

=R=

[hillvalley]

Pictures! We want Pictures!

[alacarte]

My m-i-l serves her gefilte fish with boiled baby carrots, celery, onions, and sliced white potatoes. All together, it makes for a more substantial snack...I eat it with plenty of red horseradish....one of the few good things about Passover.

[ronnie_suburban]

Pictures!  We want Pictures!

I promise some pictures...after all, each one is worth 1,000 words and I really hate typing.

=R=

[ronnie_suburban]

My m-i-l serves her gefilte fish with boiled baby carrots, celery, onions, and sliced white potatoes. All together, it makes for a more substantial snack...I eat it with plenty of red horseradish....one of the few good things about Passover.

That sounds about how my grandmother used to make/serve it (w/out the potatoes). And yes, I love that "beeted" home-made horseradish.

But I love the Passover meal...chopped liver, gefilte fish, matzoh ball soup, brisket, potato kugel. Not the healthiest everyday fare, but a great couple of meals...and my step-dad cruises us through the actual service in about 10-15 minutes

=R=

[ronnie_suburban]

My "assistant" informed me today that he picked up a whole halibut carcass for our endeavor. I'm getting very excited about this project.

=R=

[ronnie_suburban]

The deed is done

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of the messiest stages (kinda forgot about the camera in those moments) but here are a few pics that more or less document what went on over here today...

The gigantic halibut carcass (with head), cut into pieces, thawing in the sink.

The carcass, etc. now transfered into the pot. The pot was brought to a boil and held at low simmer for several hours. After that, we strained it and used the resulting liquid as the cooking medium for the gefilte fish.

The fileted meat from hamachi and halibut.

Preparing for a moderately course grind...(which you will not see )

Finely-ground carrot and onion for the mixture.

====================

**Missing images of pureed fish, eggs, minced veggies, soaked matzohs and matzoh meal being added together and formed into logs.**

====================

Gefilte Fish in pot of reduced fish stock. We simmered them for about 1 hour, splitting the entire mixture into 2 batches and cooking simultaneously in 2 pots.

A closer look at the fish while cooking. The top layer tended to float, so we kept flipping them during the cooking so they hydrated evenly.

The finished gefilte fish, complete with cloud of steam.

It was a great experience and they turned out fantastically. That said, as delicious as they are, I'm honestly not sure it was worth all the work because excellent gefilte fish is available at more than a few delis around here. Still, I'm really pumped that I got this cooking experience under my belt. Guajolote, of course, did most of the work--including sourcing the fish--and I tip my cap to him yet again for being such a great facilitator.

I'll try to take a few more pictures tomorrow, after the fish and the (hopefully gelatinized) stock have chilled and I get the horseradish ready.

=R=

Edited April 5, 2004 by ronnie_suburban (log)

[Kahrs]

Even here in the hinterlands, we can get classic fish (Joan Nathan rules) ground up at the fish emporium.

But today I got a shock! Pike roe! Wow, now what to do...

I should add pictures, but my wife is done with the cooking.

[hillvalley]

Beautiful Ronnie! How does it taste?

One questions, did you have fish heads in while the ball were cooking? Couldn't tell from the pic.