Gefilte fish is a traditional Jewish dish typically served on holidays like Passover. It is made with a mixture of ground fish, matzo meal, and various seasonings, which is then poached in water or broth. The dish has a long history, with recipes dating back to the Middle Ages. Gefilte fish is often served with horseradish or beet sauce, and can be a delicious and flavorful addition to any holiday table. There are many different recipes for gefilte fish, each with its own unique twist. In this article, we will explore some of the best gefilte fish recipes, so that you can find the perfect one for your next holiday gathering.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CLASSIC GEFILTE FISH
Gefilte fish is one of those recipes where touch and taste are essential ingredients. A basic recipe goes this way:"You put in this and add that." If you don't want to taste the raw fish, add a bit more seasoning than you normally would. What makes this recipe Galicianer (southern Polish) is the addition of sugar.
Provided by Joan Nathan
Categories Egg Fish Onion Appetizer Sukkot Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur Carrot Fall Kosher Boil Sugar Conscious Pescatarian Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Yield: about 26 patties (P)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- 1. Place the reserved bones, skin, and fish heads in a wide, very large saucepan with a cover. Add the water and 2 teaspoons of the salt and bring to a boil. Remove the foam that accumulates.
- 2. Slice 1 onion in rounds and add along with 3 of the carrots. Add the sugar and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes while the fish mixture is being prepared.
- 3. Place the ground fish in a bowl. In a food processor finely chop the remaining onions, the remaining carrot, and the parsnip; or mince them by hand. Add the chopped vegetables to the ground fish.
- 4. Add the eggs, one at a time, the remaining teaspoon of salt, pepper, and the cold water, and mix thoroughly. Stir in enough matzah meal to make a light, soft mixture into oval shapes, about 3 inches long. Take the last fish head and stuff the cavity with the ground fish mixture.
- 5. Remove from the saucepan the onions, skins, head, and bones and return the stock to a simmer. Gently place the fish patties in the simmering fish stock. Cover loosely and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste the liquid while the fish is cooking and add seasoning to taste. Shake the pot periodically so the fish patties won't stick. When gefilte fish is cooked, remove from the water and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- 6. Using a slotted spoon carefully remove the gefilte fish and arrange on a platter. Strain some of the stock over the fish, saving the rest in a bowl.
- 7. Slice the cooked carrots into rounds cut on a diagonal about 1/4 inch thick. Place a carrot round on top of each gefilte fish patty. Put the fish head in the center and decorate the eyes with carrots. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with a sprig of parsley and horseradish.
GEFILTE FISH
If you loathe gefilte fish, that staple of the Seder, it may just be that you've never had it homemade. In this recipe, created to convert gefilte fish skeptics, the traditional patties are updated with more flavorful fish, and then poached in court-bouillon - that is, a light vegetable broth. Be sure to use a wide pot here; the patties rise to the top as they cook, and you want to give them enough space.
Provided by Joan Nathan
Categories finger foods, appetizer, side dish
Time 40m
Yield About 20 patties
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Fill a large, wide pot with 10 cups of water and place over high heat. While bringing to a boil, coarsely chop and add to the pot 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot and the fennel bulb. Add the peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt. Once water is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, while preparing the fish.
- Coarsely chop the remaining onion, celery stalk and 1 carrot, then pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Add fish, chives and 2 tablespoons parsley, tarragon and/or dill, and keep pulsing until fish is chopped but not mushy.
- Move the fish mixture to a medium bowl and add eggs, oil, matzo meal, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste) and the ground black pepper, and mix well with your hands.
- Put your hands in a bowl of cold water. Using your hands, mold the fish mixture into a 3- by 2-inch oval patty (about 2 ounces) and gently place on a platter. Repeat with the remaining fish mixture, dipping your hands in water as needed.
- Pop the third carrot into the simmering broth and gently add the patties to the pot. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until patties are firm.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish and carrot from the poaching liquid to cool on a plate. Slice the carrot diagonally into thin rounds.
- Place each patty on a leaf of radicchio or endive or both. Set the sliced carrot rounds on top of each patty. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of fresh herbs and serve warm or at room temperature with horseradish, preferably homemade. If making a day ahead, refrigerate, covered, then return the patties to room temperature before serving.
MADGE'S GEFILTE FISH
Martha's friend Madge Miller shares her recipe for gefilte fish, a traditional side dish at Passover gatherings. Serve with Madge's Horseradish, which blends beets into the classic sauce.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Appetizers
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large, wide pot, bring fish stock to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
- In a large bowl combine whitefish, yellow pike, and carp. Add onions, eggs, matzo meal, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup cold water. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a paste.
- Moisten hands with cold water. Shape about 1/3 cup of mixture into an oval slightly larger than an egg (3 to 4 inches long). Place gently in simmering stock. Repeat with remaining mixture. Add carrots. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and simmer, until firm and opaque, about 1 hour. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Chill until stock gels, at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold, or at room temperature, garnished with fresh horseradish and a sprig of dill. May be made up to 2 days ahead.
BEST GEFILTE FISH
Steps:
- Grind snapper meat and trout meat in a meat grinder set to the smallest grind. Process fish meat through the grinder again.
- Place reserved fish heads, skin, and bones in a large pot. Add water, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, and 1 pinch white sugar; bring mixture to a boil and cook until flavors combine, at least 30 minutes. Strain and discard fish heads, skin, bones, and onion. Return broth to the pot.
- Beat ground fish, eggs, onion, water, matzo meal, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper in a large bowl with an electric mixture until mixture is soft and holds together. Using wet hands, form fish mixture into oblong 1-inch balls.
- Gently drop fish balls into broth, adding more water as necessary to completely cover all of the fish. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat, uncover the pot, and simmer until stock has reduced by half, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add carrot rounds, cover, and steam until tender but firm to the bite, 6 to 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove fish to a serving dish. Place 1 carrot slice on top of each fish ball. Pour broth over the fish balls and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until broth gels, at least 2 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 303.9 calories, Carbohydrate 6.9 g, Cholesterol 189.2 mg, Fat 8 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 48.4 g, SaturatedFat 2.2 g, Sodium 1316.6 mg, Sugar 3.1 g
GEFILTE FISH
Provided by Food Network
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- 1) Combine all ingredients, except the fish skin in a large (8 to 10 quart) braising pot. The skin will be added after the Gefilte fish is cooking. 2) Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Mix the Gefilte fish while the stock is simmering. The dumplings will be cooked in the stock after it has simmered 20 to 30 minutes and the stock will not be strained until after the Gefilte fish is removed.;
- Grind the fish fillets (which will have the fine pin bones in the meat) through the small plate of a meat grinder. Mix well and grind again. Place the fish in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, onions, carrots, matzo meal, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix very well. Add the oil and cold water and blend into a smooth paste. Make a small ball and cook in the stock for a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Have a bowl of water handy. Keeping both hands wet, shape 3-ounces of the mixture into oval balls and drop into the stock. Continue until all are made and added to the stock. After they have cooked 10 minutes, add the skin (it was reserved) to the stock. Cover the pot and simmer slowly for 2 hours, turning and basting the dumplings every 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the Gefilte fish with a slotted spoon and place in a large container. Strain the remaining stock over the Gefilte fish. Pick the carrots slices out of the remains and add to the strained stock as well. Allow the Gefilte fish and carrots to cool in the stock, which should gel when completely chilled. Serve with the jellied stock, carrots and beet-horseradish. Slice the Gefilte fish for a nice presentation.;
DELICIOUS OLD STYLE GEFILTE FISH
I have always wanted to make delicious "Old Style" Gefilte Fish like my Grandma Else and Aunt Bessie used to made. So have tried making Gefilte Fish several times, however, without much success. Finally on my fourth try, I have come very close to their "Secret Recipe". I say "Secret Recipe" because it was not written down and I was not around the kitchen when it was make; because I was more interested in playing stickball outside. Also, many people said it is a lost tradition and they have given up trying to make it. There must be over 100 recipes (in books and on the Internet) and each recipe varies accordingly. That is, depending on their family's country of origin, the country they now live in or people have just created a recipe to their own liking. My grandparents came from Minsk, Russia & Warsaw, Poland and this regions' Gefilte Fish tends to be 'not sweet' in taste. Finally our family was originally from The Bronx/Brooklyn, New York (New York City). We would spend many wonderful summers at bungalow colonies in the Catskill Mountains aka "The Borsch Belt" or "Jewish Alps" (from 1950-1960) which also might have influenced my family's cooking. I still remember as a child eating my grandmother's Gefilte Fish and her Yiddish words, "Ess Tot-ta-la, Ess"!
Provided by SkipperSy
Categories Russian
Time 4h
Yield 20-22 Fish Patties, 20-22 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- PREPARATION:.
- Have the fish store person fillet the fish and save the head, bones and skin for the fish stock. Remove the skin and bones from the fish steaks as well and save; Also, remove any small bones which might still be embedded in the meat (use a small pair of pliers); Prepare "Prep #1" first and then follow cooking Instructions #10 & #11; After the fish stock is simmering on the stove top do preparation "Prep #2 to #6" as noted below.
- Prep #1) FISH STOCK - If using whole carrots, cut 1 carrot up into small pieces (if not you will be using the baby carrots); Cut 1 of the celery stalks into small pieces; Use 2 of the onions and remove the first brown dirty skin layer and discard; Cut up these onions into smaller pieces and with the brown skin layer (add a few more brown skins from other onions).
- Prep #2) FISH MIXTURE - Cut all the fish meat up into small pieces and then chop finely or grind coarsely in a food processor. Grade coarsely; 5 oz baby carrots (or 1 whole carrot), 1 onion (with the skin removed) and 1 celery stalk.
- Prep #3) FISH PATTIES - Add into a very large bowl the coarsely ground Fish Mixture (meat and vegetables); Add 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon pepper; Make a well in the center and add the eggs and matzo meal; Next mix thoroughly all the ingredients and at the same time try to retain some of the coarseness of the fish, don't mash it up to much(tiny chunks of fish is all right in the finished fish patty).
- Prep #4) Slice lengthwise in half 5 oz of the baby carrots and set aside, which will be added during the last half hour of cooking (or cut up into thin rounds the third carrot).
- Prep #5) FISH PATTY FORMING (prepare after stock is filtered thru a sieve and simmering on the stove top) - Moisten your hands in some cold water and form the fish patties into oval shapes about 3 inches long; Place the patties on one or two big plate; You should be able to make about 20-22 patties (which will be placed into the simmering fish stock).
- Prep #6) Wash the parsley and set aside.
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:.
- FISH STOCK - Add 2 quarts of water to a very large pot; Add the reserved/saved fish head, bones and skin; Add 5 oz of baby carrots (or 1 carrot cut up), 1 cut up celery stalk and 2 cut up onions and skins; Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Bring the stock to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Remove all scum which rises to the top and discard; Let simmer on low heat for about 45 to 60 minutes, uncovered.
- Next pour/filter the fish stock through a sieve and retain the stock. Discard the bones, skins and vegetables. Then place the retained stock back into the pot and bring to a low simmer once again.
- Place each Fish Patty one-by-one into the pot, making sure the patties do not break up. Retain a low simmer and shake the pot to prevent the patties from sticking to each other (use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula as needed); Cover and cook for 1 hour on a low heat; Occasionally check to remove scum and turn some of the top patties over as may be required.
- Next remove the cover, add 5 oz of the baby carrots (or 1 carrot cut up into thin rounds); Turn a few patties on the top to keep them moist and under the liquid, remove scum and spoon some liquid over patties as needed; Cook for another 1/2 hours.
- Again, making sure you do not break up the patties.
- Remove the patties and carrots with a slotted spoon and place on a serving plate or in an aluminum foil pan; Place one carrot on top of each fish patty.
- Next pour/filter the fish stock through a sieve and retain the stock. Discard any by-products. Return the stock to the stove top and on medium heat reduce to about 2 cups of stock. Pour some of the stock over the fish in the plate or pan and cover using plastic wrap. Pour some extra stock into a plastic container and with a cover.
- Place the Gefilte Fish and extra stock in the refrigerator to cool for several hour or more.
- Serve the Gefilte Fish at room temperature on individual plates; Garnish each plate with a little parsley and some of the jelled fish stock on the side of the patty.
- Serve with red and white horseradish, enjoy --.
- .
- NOTES:.
- A) Check out my Aunt Zelma's Gefilte Fish which uses salmon and tastes sweet, by going to the following url;.
- Gefilte Fish by Eileen Mintz, at.
- http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Gefilte-Fish/Detail.aspx .
- B) Here are some more photos showing step-by-step how Gefilte Fish is made --.
- http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/gefilte.htm .
- May 2010; I made a variation on this recipe, Salmon-Tilapia Gefilte Fish (see photos) -- You can easily modify this recipe accordingly by using Salmon and Tilapia fish.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 168.7, Fat 5.9, SaturatedFat 1.1, Cholesterol 70.5, Sodium 704.6, Carbohydrate 6, Fiber 0.8, Sugar 2.6, Protein 21.7
GEFILTE FISH
Provided by Barbara Kafka
Categories dinner, project, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- To make the stock, place all the ingredients for the stock except the carrot slices in a two-quart souffle dish. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 30 minutes. Prick plastic.
- Remove from oven. Uncover and strain. Pour half of the stock back into dish. Set remaining broth aside. Add sliced carrots to the cooking dish. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
- Remove from oven and uncover. Set aside.
- To make the fish mixture, place the fillets and onion in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients except gelatin and horseradish and process just until combined. Refrigerate until cold. With damp hands, shape mixture into eight plump ovals, about 1/4 cup each.
- Arrange the ovals in spoke fashion around the edge of a 14-by-11-by-2-inch oval dish. Remove carrots from broth with a slotted spoon and place in center of dish. Pour broth from the dish over all. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap, leaving a small vent in one corner. Cook for 10 minutes. Prick plastic.
- Place a small plate in the freezer (to use later to test gel of stock).
- Remove fish from oven. Uncover, and turn each piece over. Let fish cool in the broth for 30 minutes.
- Test the jelly by pouring a spoonful of broth onto the cold plate. Place the plate in the freezer for 1 minute. Broth should be firm. If it is not, place the reserved broth in a bowl and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon gelatin on top. Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir well and repeat test with chilled plate. If broth is still not firm, add another 1/2 teaspoon gelatin and repeat test.
- Place gefilte fish in the smallest deep container that can hold it in one layer. Cover with all of the broth. Chill fish and broth at least 24 hours.
- Serve gefilte fish chilled, with some of the jelled broth and carrots. Pass horseradish in a separate bowl.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 261, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 45 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 972 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
MY MOM'S LEGENDARY GALICIANER (SWEET) GEFILTE FISH
My mother's gefilte fish is the stuff of legends. We have tried to reproduce it for years, with little success. We have watched her make it, measured, copied, you name it. Still, it is just not the same as the fish my mom makes. Hers is so delicious, even to people who just despise gefilte fish, that friends and family members will travel across the continent to have some. A tough act to follow. That said, here is the best approximation of my mom's classic fish that I can come up with. At least for now. I hope your family loves it as much as we do.
Provided by Sarah Chana
Categories Whitefish
Time 2h30m
Yield 16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Mix together fish, onions, eggs, salt, sugar, pepper until very thoroughly blended.
- If you are my mother, or not as squeemish as her daughter, you taste it at this point (yes, raw) and adjust seasonings to taste. If you are me, you just pray that it is well-seasoned and move on.
- Add matzo meal slowly, mixing very very well, until it is almost thick enough to shape into balls, but just a bit softer. (How's that for imprecise?).
- Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least one hour, or even overnight.
- At this point, you can shape the mixture into balls or loaves and freeze for future use, but no one ever does because deferring this gratification for that long is just impossible.
- Make the broth: In a large soup pot, mix the broth ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 30 minutes or so. It should be sort of golden in color. Taste to adjust seasoning. The broth should be sweet and a little salty.
- Form the fish mixture into balls, cylinders, loaves -- whatever.
- Add to broth, bring to a boil again, and then lower to a very slow boil for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Cool. Eat. Enjoy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 189.5, Fat 2.9, SaturatedFat 0.8, Cholesterol 107.8, Sodium 440.2, Carbohydrate 25.9, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 11.4, Protein 14.7
GEFILTE FISH
Steps:
- 1. In a food processor or grinder, grind fish (refrigerate heads and bones for later use), 2 onions, 1 stalk celery, and half a carrot. (If you use a food processor, make sure you leave no large pieces of fish or bones; you may want to transfer the mixture, bit by bit, into a wooden bowl, and go over it vigorously with a hand chopper.)
- 2. Place fish mixture in a large bowl, and add eggs, sugar, salt, pepper, and corn oil, mixing thoroughly with a wire whisk. Stir in matzo meal, and continue to mix until everything is thoroughly blended. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more (longer, even overnight, is better).
- 3. Fill 2 large stockpots three-quarters full of water, and bring to a vigorous boil. In each, throw in half the fish heads and bones, 2 onions, half the celery, and a carrot. Divide batter into 12 patties of equal size. (Don't worry that your batter is a little loose; it has to be that way to keep your gefilte fish light.) Transfer each patty to a large cooking spoon, shape into an oval, and very gently lower it into the boiling water. Put 6 in each pot. Lower heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
- 4. Remove fish balls and carrots from pots, and refrigerate on a covered plate. Discard everything else. Serve chilled with red and/or white horseradish. Slice carrots for garnish.
Tips for Making the Best Gefilte Fish:
- Use fresh fish. The fresher the fish, the better the gefilte fish will be. If you can't find fresh fish, you can use frozen fish, but thaw it completely before using.
- Grind the fish finely. The finer the fish is ground, the smoother the gefilte fish will be. You can use a food processor or a meat grinder to grind the fish.
- Add plenty of seasonings. Gefilte fish is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, garlic, and dill. You can also add other seasonings, such as lemon zest, orange zest, or ginger.
- Chill the gefilte fish before cooking. This will help the fish to hold its shape when it is cooked.
- Cook the gefilte fish slowly. Gefilte fish should be cooked slowly over low heat. This will help to prevent the fish from becoming dry or tough.
- Serve the gefilte fish hot or cold. Gefilte fish can be served hot or cold. If you are serving it hot, you can top it with a creamy dill sauce.
Conclusion:
Gefilte fish is a delicious and traditional Jewish dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little planning and effort, you can make gefilte fish that is both delicious and beautiful. So next time you're looking for a special dish to serve, give gefilte fish a try.
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