Gefilte Fish Recipe

Pour 8 cups of water into a pot.

Add the piece of kombu seaweed (optional).

Add 1 onion cut in quarters, 6 carrots, 3 parsnips, 1 sweet potato, and 2 stalks of celery with leaves (if available).

Save 1 parsnip and 1 carrot for later.

Place the onions with the peel in the pot.

Add 2 pieces of carp about 1 inch thick (2.5 cm) and the head of the carp to the pot.

Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of coarse black pepper to the pot.

Grate a small parsnip, a small carrot, and a small onion.

Once the carrots are tender, remove 4 of them from the pot.

Cut 800 grams (1.7 pounds) of whitefish into small pieces and place them in a food processor.

Blend the fish until creamy, then add the grated parsnip, carrot, and onion.

Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 cup of matzo meal to the mixture.

Add 3 whole eggs and blend again.

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and continue blending until smooth.

If the food processor is too small, mix by hand until well combined.

Even out the mixture in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare a pan for cooking the gefilte fish and line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth.

Pour the prepared broth through the strainer.

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed, adding 2 half teaspoons of kosher salt if necessary.

Cover the pot and bring the broth to a simmer.

After 30 minutes, remove the gefilte mixture from the refrigerator and cut it into 12 equal wedges.

Wear rubber gloves to shape the gefilte fish into oval balls approximately 3 inches long and 2 inches wide (7.5 cm long and 5 cm wide).

Place the shaped gefilte fish in the hot broth without boiling it.

Let the gefilte fish sit in the broth on low heat for 1.5 hours, turning them over twice during cooking.

Cut the 4 boiled carrots on an angle to create 12 pieces for garnish.

After 1.5 hours, remove the gefilte fish and pour the cooking broth through the strainer to make it clear.

Place a slice of carrot on each gefilte fish and garnish with fresh parsley.

Refrigerate the gefilte fish after placing them in the serving dish, or serve at room temperature after 10-15 minutes.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: