Best Gefilte Fish Recipes

GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Grind the fish, 2 1/2 onions and 4 carrots together. Place fish mixture in a wooden bowl. Using a hand chopper, add eggs one at a time. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons salt and white pepper and continue to chop until very well blended. Stir in the ice water a little at a time throughout this process. Add matzo meal and chop again. Check to see if mixture is thick enough to bind together to make an oval gefilte fish ball and if not add in more matzo meal.
• Meanwhile, fill two large heavy stock pots half full of water . Into each pot slice one raw onion and one sliced carrot. Add fish skins, if desired. Sprinkle in paprika, salt, black pepper and two tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil for 10 minutes.
• With wet hands shape the fish balls and carefully drop into boiling stock. Cover slightly and cook over medium-low heat for 2 hours. When done, let fish sit in the pot for 10 minutes, then remove pieces carefully to containers and strain remaining stock over fish balls, just barely covering them. Chill and serve. They will now keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

BAKED HERBED GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Add the paprika, parsley, 1 pinch of the allspice, the salt, and pepper. Roll the frozen loaf in the oil and spices to coat. Remove the loaf from the pan, arrange the onion on the bottom of the pan, and place the loaf on top of the onion. Sprinkle with the garlic and the remaining 1 pinch allspice. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake, covered, for 2 hours.
• 3. Cool the gefilte fish completely, then place it in a resealable container and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold, sliced and topped with the onions.

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.

CLASSIC GEFILTE FISH

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

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.

GEFILTE FISH

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.;

MY MOM'S LEGENDARY GALICIANER (SWEET) GEFILTE FISH

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.

GEFILTE FISH PATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Remove from heat and let cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine fish, cooled onions, eggs, water, matzah meal, salt, pepper, and sugar. Beat on medium speed for 15 minutes. Add grated carrots and mix until well combined.
• Transfer mixture to 12-cup bundt pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Place bundt pan in a larger baking dish and fill baking dish 2-inches high with water. Transfer to oven and bake for 1 hour. Cover bundt pan with parchment paper-lined foil and continue baking until center feels solid when a wooden skewer is inserted into the center, about 1 hour more.
• Remove bundt pan from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto a flat serving plate and refrigerate overnight. Slice and serve garnished with parsley.

PASSOVER GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Blanch the head of cabbage in boiling salted water, about 5 minutes, then place in a basin of cold water. Remove the whole leaves and cut away the tough core. As you peel off the outer leaves, you may have to return the head of cabbage to the boiling water to soften the inner leaves. Dry on a clean towel and reserve.
• Place the matzoh meal in a small bowl. Cover with 1 cup of stock and let soak until needed.
• In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Over medium heat, saute the onion until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not brown. Cool.
• In a wooden bowl or on a chopping board, chop the fish fine with a chopper or large knife. Add the matzoh meal with the stock, the cooled onions, 3 egg yolks, the chopped parsley and tarragon, 2 teaspoons of salt, white pepper, and cayenne, and continue to chop until well combined. In a clean, medium bowl, whisk the egg white until firm but not stiff. Stir a little into the fish mixture, then, quickly but gently, and fold in the remaining whites. To test for flavor, bring a little fish stock to a simmer, add a small ball of the fish mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.
• Heat the remaining fish stock and spoon a little into an 11 by 17-inch baking pan. Divide the fish mixture into 12 portions, about 4 ounces each, and enclose each portion in 1 or 2 cabbage leaves. You will find that when the leaves get smaller, you will have to use 2 leaves to wrap the fish. As each package is formed, place in the prepared baking pan, seam-side down. This size pan holds the 12 packages comfortably. Pour the remaining stock over the fish and top with the julienned carrots and leeks. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in the stock and refrigerate until needed.
• Presentation: Place 1 package of fish on each of 12 plates, garnishing with some of the julienned carrots and leeks. Serve with homemade horseradish, white or red.*
• Homemade Horseradish:
• To make white horseradish, finely grate peeled fresh horseradish into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
• To make red horseradish, boil 1/2 pound red beets until tender. Peel and then finely grate into a medium bowl. Add about 1/2 cup grated horseradish, or to taste, and combine thoroughly. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.

GEFILTE FISH LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl mash the gefilte fish and set aside.
• Process the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor.
• Add to the mashed fish.
• Grease a 9x5 loaf pan, I use cooking spray.
• Pour in fish mixture.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven and cool.
• Turn loaf onto a platter.
• Chill.
• Serve with horseradish.

ELLYN GOODRICH'S ALASKAN HALIBUT AND SALMON GEFILTE FISH TERRINE (PAREVE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with the margarine.
• Cut the fish into large chunks, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse about 20 times, do not puree, but grind fine. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and sauté the onions over medium-low heat until soft and transparent. Let cool.
• To the fish mixture, add the onions, eggs, 2 cups of cold water, matzoh meal, salt, white pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Beat in the electric mixer at medium speed, using a paddle attachment, for about 10 minutes. Add the dill, and grate in the carrots; mix well.
• Pour the mixture into the greased bundt pan. Smooth the top with a spatula, and cover with foil. Place a large pan filled with water which is almost boiling and comes at least halfway up the sides of the bundt pan.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the center is solid. Cool for 5 minutes, or until mold is cool to the touch. Run a knife around the edges. Place a flat serving plate on top, and then flip over, inverting the mold onto the plate. If the mold does not come out easily, give the plate a shake. You should feel or hear it give.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Slice as you would a torte, and serve as an appetizer. Garnish with the parsley and remaining dill, and serve with red horseradish.

GEFILTE FISH APPETIZER (DOCTORED FROM THE JAR)

Steps:

• Place very little olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion and just slightly brown.
• Add the pieces of fish and the fish geletin, carrots, celery and pepper to taste.
• Raise heat to high and bring to a boil and then reduce the heat back to medium or medium-low and simmer 8 to 10 minutes… Remove from heat.
• Take the pieces of fish out of the pot very gently and cool on a platter.
• Reserve the vegetables.
• Slightly oil a cookie sheet.
• Lay the pieces of fish onto the slightly oiled cookie sheet and turn the fish over, so that both sides of the fish are oiled. Place the fish into a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
• Turn the fish over and bake another 10 minutes, or until the fish is slightly browned. Remove from oven and refrigerate. Serve with the reserved vegetables and horseradish.

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.

SALMON GEFILTE FISH MOLD WITH HORSERADISH AND BEET SAUCE

Steps:

• Have your fish store grind the fillets or pulse them yourself, one at a time, in a food processor or meat grinder. If using a food processor, pulse the fish in short bursts, being careful not to purée the fish-you want some texture. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan and fill a larger pan (such as a large Pyrex dish) with 2 inches of hot water.
• In a large pan over medium-high heat, sauté the diced onions in the oil for about 5 minutes, until soft and transparent but not brown. Set aside to cool.
• Put the fish, onions, eggs, 2 cups (470 ml) water, matzo meal, carrots, 4 tablespoons dill, salt, pepper, mustard, and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer equipped with a flat beater. Beat at medium speed for 10 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into the Bundt or tube pan, then put the pan inside the larger water-filled dish (called a bain-marie). Smooth the top with a spatula. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the center is solid. Remove the Bundt or tube pan from the water dish, then allow the terrine to cool slightly for at least 20 minutes. Slide a long knife around the outer and inner edges of the Bundt or tube pan, then carefully invert the terrine onto a flat serving plate.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. If any water accumulates on the serving dish, carefully drain it away before serving. Slice the terrine as you would a torte and serve as an appetizer, garnished with parsley and dill and served with Horseradish and Beet Sauce. Leftovers keep for up to 5 days.

SALMON GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Bring the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, and add the cake meal. Whisk until smooth. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Remove from heat, and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a skillet. Add the onion, carrot and leeks, and saute over low heat until tender but not brown.
• Place the vegetables and fresh and smoked salmon in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Add the egg mixture, and process until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and horseradish. Season with salt.
• Bring the fish stock, water or water and wine to a simmer in a large saucepan -- the liquid should be about 2 1/2 inches deep. Form the fish mixture into ovals using two tablespoons dipped in cold water. Slip the ovals into the simmering liquid, and poach for 20 minutes. Drain, and refrigerate until cold.
• Serve with the mayonnaise.

BAKED GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Prep the fish. Working in batches if necessary, place the rockfish, pike, and flounder fillets in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until pureed. Transfer the fish to a large bowl. Bring the fish stock to simmering in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Mix the fish. Add the matzo meal, eggs, sugar, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the fish. Mix together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Shape the fish mixture into oval patties about 2 by 4 inches. Carefully lower the patties into the simmering fish stock, return to simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined tray. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into the dish with the patties. Let the stock cool (it will gel) and then refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.
• Bake the fish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fish patties from the gelatin and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake the patties until lightly caramelized on edges-about 20 minutes. Serve topped with a dollop of the gelatinous stock and some Boiled Carrots with Prepared Horseradish on the side.

ALASKAN HALIBUT AND SALMON GEFILTE FISH TERRINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut the fish into large chunks, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse about 20 times: do not puree, but grind fine. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan, and saute onions until soft and transparent. Let cool.
• To the fish mixture, add the onions, eggs, 2 cups of cold water, matzoh meal, salt, white pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Beat in an electric mixer at medium speed for about 10 minutes. Add the dill, and grate in the carrots; mix well, using a paddle attachment.
• Pour the mixture into a greased 12-cup bundt pan. Smooth the top with a spatula, and cover with foil. Place in a larger pan filled with water that is almost boiling.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the center is solid. Cool for 5 minutes, or until mold is cool to the touch. Run a knife around the edges. Place a flat serving plate on top, then flip over, inverting onto the plate. If the mold doesn't come out easily, give the plate a shake. You should feel or hear it give.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Slice as you would a torte, and serve as an appetizer. Garnish with the parsley and remaining dill, and serve with red horseradish.

BAKED GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350'F.
• 2. Lightly oil a 9x5" metal loaf pan Line the bottom with lightly oiled wax paper.
• 3. In your food processor, with the metal blade, add the onion and chop with a few pulses off and on. Saute the onion in the light oil, then cool in another bowl.
• 4. Add the carrots and chop this mixture fine. Return the cooled onion to the food processor bowl and add the rest of the ingredients pulsing twice, then turn off, pulse twice again using this method until you have a meat loaf type of consistency.
• 5. Pour into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes then move to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
• 6. Place a knife between the fish and the loaf pan and slide it around to loosen the fish, then invert onto a dish and continue to cool.
• 7. Cover and refrigerate or wrap well in tin foil and then in plastic wrap and freeze.
• 8. This makes, 10 servings, or 20 hors d'oevres. This is good served with beet horse radish for luncheon. It is best when you make it 2 or 3 days ahead. That gives the flavours a chance to marry better.
• 9. Shalom!

HONEY BAKED GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Defrost gefilte fish loaf (partially defrosted is ok if you are pressed for time).
• Dump it unceremoniously in a 9" round pan (or equivalent).
• Add honey to taste (start with about 1/4 cup if you like your fish sweet; less if you don't), and sprinkle with white pepper (again, more if you like the thrill of the heat, less if you don't).
• Smoosh some more, and smooth out the top.
• Sprinkle with paprika for color.
• Bake at 325F (give or take) for about 40 minutes.
• Will be firm but not dry when it is done.

SALMON AND COD GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium. Add chopped onion and carrots; season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl; let cool.
• Return skillet to medium-high heat (do not wipe clean). Add remaining onion and carrot, celery, bay leaf, and peppercorns; toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 8 cups water, fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup liquid and matzo meal. Cover skillet.
• Meanwhile, slice 1/2 pound salmon into 10 strips, each about 1 inch thick and 2 inches long. Place on a plate, season with salt, cover, and refrigerate. Chop remaining 1 pound salmon into 1-inch pieces. Place chopped salmon and cod in a food processor with chopped-onion mixture, matzo-meal mixture, mustard, sugar, and dill. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; pulse until combined. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs on medium speed until foamy, 1 minute. Add fish mixture; beat until fluffy, about 7 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.
• Scoop fish mixture into 10 half-cup balls; transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. With dampened hands, press a salmon strip into each ball, then shape into an oval. Return liquid in skillet to a simmer. With a spoon, gently drop in fish ovals. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.
• Let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon, gently remove gefilte fish. Serve over escarole with lemons, cucumbers, radishes, matzos, and sauces.