This classic Jewish delicacy features a smooth, finely ground mixture of whitefish, pike, and carp, bound with eggs and matzo meal. The fish balls are poached slowly in a flavorful stock made from the fish bones and onions, resulting in a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The dish is traditionally served chilled, garnished with soft-cooked carrots and a side of horseradish. It is a staple for Shabbat and holiday tables, offering a comforting, savory-sweet flavor profile that pairs perfectly with crusty bread or crackers.
Gefilte Fish
Description
This classic Jewish delicacy features a smooth, finely ground mixture of whitefish, pike, and carp, bound with eggs and matzo meal. The fish balls are poached slowly in a flavorful stock made from the fish bones and onions, resulting in a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The dish is traditionally served chilled, garnished with soft-cooked carrots and a side of horseradish. It is a staple for Shabbat and holiday tables, offering a comforting, savory-sweet flavor profile that pairs perfectly with crusty bread or crackers.Ingredients
Directions
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Ask your fishmonger to fillet the whitefish, pike, and carp, but reserve the heads, skins, and bones for making the stock.
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Place the reserved fish heads, skins, and bones in a large pot with 1 quart of water, 4 sliced onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
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Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Return the clear stock to the pot.
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Grind the filleted fish meat through a meat grinder twice, or pulse in a food processor until the mixture is extremely fine and paste-like. This ensures a smooth texture.
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In a large bowl, combine the ground fish with the remaining onion (grated), eggs, remaining salt, remaining pepper, sugar, ice water, and matzo meal.
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Mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well incorporated. The mixture should be moist and hold together when shaped.
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Bring the strained fish stock back to a gentle simmer over low heat.
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Wet your hands with cold water to prevent sticking. Shape the fish mixture into large oval balls or smaller round balls.
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Carefully drop the fish balls into the simmering stock. Do not boil vigorously, as this will break the balls.
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Add the sliced carrots to the pot. Cover loosely with a lid and cook over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
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Remove the cover for the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow the broth to clarify slightly.
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Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the fish balls and carrots to a serving platter.
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Strain the cooking liquid and spoon it over the fish balls.
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Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight until completely chilled.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 498.1kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 38.6g60%
- Saturated Fat 23.3g117%
- Cholesterol 190.4mg64%
- Sodium 6643.2mg277%
- Total Carbohydrate 11.1g4%
- Dietary Fiber 1.7g7%
- Sugars 4.9g
- Protein 21.8g44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Serve chilled with horseradish sauce on the side. The gefilte fish keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Traditionally, three types of fish are used: whitefish (for flavor), pike (for color/texture), and carp (for sweetness). Adjust the ratio based on availability, but keep the whitefish as the dominant ingredient for the best taste.
Ensure the stock is simmering gently, not boiling, when adding the fish balls. Boiling will cause the delicate fish mixture to fall apart.
For a sweeter version, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the fish mixture. Some variations also include a small amount of grated onion in the stock for extra aroma.
