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. For some reason the farther south in Poland, the more sugar would be added. A Lithuanian Jew would never sweeten with sugar but might add beets to the stock. I have added ground carrot and parsnip to the fish, something that is done in the Ukraine, because I like the slightly sweet taste and rougher texture. If you want a darker broth, do not peel the onions and leave them whole.
Ingredients
Yield: about 26 patties (P)
Preparation
Step 1
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.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
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.
Step 4
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.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
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.
Step 7
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.
Leave a Review
Reviews (16)
Back to TopDanke für das Rezept- ich finde es unfassbar, dass Menschen "ii" in die Kommentare schreiben- Da überlebt das jüdische Volk 2000 Jahre in der Diaspora und entzweit wegen Zucker im gefillte Fish ein :D oder, dass kein Zucker rein gehört. In Polen kommt Zucker rein, in Russland schwarzer Pfeffer, in Ungarn beides.. und je nachdem woher die Familie kommt - macht man so oder so. Es ist doch so schön, bei aller Unterschiedlichkeit trotzdem ein großes Gemeinsames zu haben.
Chaya
4/7/2022
Looks like diarrhoea.
Epsten
State of Palestine
4/24/2020
This recipe is as good as hundreds of other successful different recipes from different regions of the world, where their own is certainly "The best". Sugar was used in fish recipes by Ancient Chinese Emperor's cooks for many thousands of years as well as in other celebrated world cousins. Gefilte fish was accommodated from European regions by Jewish refuges and perfected to such a point, when it became one of ikons of Jewish legendary traditional cousin. Unfortunately it is true that salt water fish is not a good choice for Gefilte fish, and it is getting more and more difficult to purchase a proper fish. Perhaps the hope might be coming (yes ! The wonderful Carp) from China. Concluding the argument, I've tried this particular recipe and it came out lovely. Remember - Epicurean food requires open mind and open mouth.
Zayaz
Salt Lake City, UT
7/16/2013
Gefilte fish is Jewish, yes, but regional. My family are Jews from Poland and the gefilte fish broth ALWAYS was seasoned with sugar. These recipes are always very personal and most people have very strong opinions usually conforming to their own family tradition. Fine. I've eaten the fish as prepared by natives of other Jewish populations and just never liked them as much as the Jewish-Polish recipes. I'm only sorry that living now in San Francisco I'm not able to get the lake and river fish you need, as this area is primarily a source for salt-water seafood. Salmon is available here, but you can't make "real" gefilte fish with it. I crave it so!
betempte
San Francisco
4/13/2009
ugh! feh! NO SUGAR!!! I make gefilte fish every holiday with my daughter and grandson (23). We love doing it and it's a regular event. Without the sugar, the fish is delish. In my family, we only use roe carp (personal choice). Making gefilte fish is not scary. The jarred stuff is icky.
Anonymous
Merion, PA
9/14/2006
This is a traditional gefilte fish recipe. And, yes, you do add sugar to the broth (not the fish) if you are from Poland! I can remember my Mother counting out the sugar cubes before adding them to the broth and my Father tasting it to make sure it was perfect.
Anonymous
Dallas, Texas
9/13/2006
first of all no sugar is ever added to gefilte fish.i came to USA from former soviet union ,my mother[ who should rest in pease]made the best gefilte fish ever it is nothing like this recipe.if you would taste this fish you would know the difference.
Anonymous
cleveland,ohio
10/8/2005
Its a lot of work. I made it for 25 guests. Everyone said it was the best they ever had. Guests had seconds and third helpings. They also went crazy over the horseradish recipe.
toomuch386
9/12/2004
I have made this many times now and it is always very good. I will continure.
Anonymous
West Bloomfield, MI.
3/12/2003
chill out bergen county!
Anonymous
3/18/2002
HAVE NOT TRIED THIS RECIPE...MY ENTIRE MATERNAL AND PATERNAL FAMILY CAME FROM GALICIA (S.POLAND), AND NEVER DID ANY OF THEM EVER ADD SUGAR TO THE FISH!!!... I WAS TOLD THAT PEOPLE FROM RUSSIA ADDED SUGAR??!!
Anonymous
Bergen County, NJ
11/2/2001
Not too shabby! I am a Sephardic foods snob but once in a while I get the urge to explore my mother's shtetl heritage. This gefilte fish was light and fluffy, though a tad oily. I would use more neutral-flavored white fish and less strong-tasting varieties. I have yet to produce carrots that aren't oily, though.
Shirin Abrams
Boston, MA
6/9/2000
I liked it
Anonymous
Los Angeles
3/9/2000
I've never quite understood the romance of gefilte fish, except that it reminds us of the "good" old days in the shtetl. Like the "manischewitz" of old, this is a recipe that's best left to the ages. Go with classic Sephardic dishes, instead.
Anonymous
Washington, DC
11/29/1999
these recipies sound interesting but I have seen these fish and they are uugly and big!
JULIANA
TorontoON
5/31/1999
See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
Rediscovering Gefilte Fish
Think you don't like it? This Passover, try this delicious homemade version
