Gefilte Fish
The seder starter. Quenelles of ground white fish bound with onion, egg and matzo meal, poached in a fish-and-vegetable broth until set, chilled, and served on lettuce with a sharp horseradish on the side. Old-fashioned, divisive, beloved.
Overview
A mix of white-fleshed fish (carp, pike, whitefish, or a more modern blend of cod and haddock) is ground with grated onion, eggs, matzo meal and a little sugar, then formed into quenelles. The quenelles poach gently in a broth made from the fish skin, heads and bones with onion and carrot. After an hour they are lifted out and chilled overnight in the strained broth; some of the broth jellies as it cools, which is the point. Served cold, on a leaf of lettuce, with a generous spoon of horseradish.
Ingredients
The fish mix
- 1 kg skinless white fish fillets (a mix of carp, pike and whitefish if you can find them; otherwise cod and haddock)
- 2 large onions (1 grated, 1 sliced for the broth)
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons matzo meal
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- A generous grind of white pepper
The broth
- Fish skins, heads and bones (ask your fishmonger to keep them when filleting; otherwise 500 g white fish bones)
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 2 carrots (peeled, sliced into rounds)
- 1 celery stick (sliced)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 litres cold water
To serve
- A small bowl of horseradish (jarred is fine, freshly grated is sharper)
- Crisp lettuce leaves
- The poached carrot rounds from the broth (for garnish)
Method
Stage 1 - Make the broth
- In a wide deep pan, place the fish bones, heads and skin, sliced onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt.
- Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a low simmer over a medium heat, skimming any grey foam from the surface.
- Cook gently for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan, reserving the carrot rounds for garnish. Discard the rest of the solids.
Stage 2 - Make the fish mix
- Cut the fish fillets into rough chunks and place in a food processor with the grated onion.
- Pulse 8-10 times to a coarse paste - you want texture, not a smooth purée.
- Tip into a bowl. Add the eggs, matzo meal, water, salt, sugar and white pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes until cohesive and slightly sticky.
- Test the seasoning by frying a teaspoon-sized piece in a little oil; taste and adjust salt or pepper before shaping the rest.
Stage 3 - Shape and poach
- Bring the strained broth back to a low simmer.
- With wet hands, shape the fish mix into oval quenelles about the size of a small egg. Slide them gently into the broth as you go.
- Cover, drop the heat low, and poach gently for 45 minutes. The quenelles should be just firm to the touch and cooked through.
Stage 4 - Cool and rest
- Lift the quenelles carefully into a wide shallow dish with a slotted spoon.
- Strain the broth over the top so they are just submerged. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The broth jellies slightly as it cools and clings to the quenelles.
Stage 5 - Serve
- Set each quenelle on a leaf of crisp lettuce. Top with a slice of the poached carrot. Spoon a little of the jellied broth alongside.
- Pass the horseradish at the table; a generous teaspoon per portion is the traditional measure.
Notes
- Most modern households buy gefilte fish from a jar at the kosher grocer; the homemade version is a labour of love that travels far better when shared with a grandmother who has done it before. The flavour reward is real.
- White fish blends vary by tradition: Ashkenazi households of Eastern European origin favour carp and pike; American households often default to whitefish and cod. Any blend of mild, firm-fleshed white fish works.
- Sweet versus savoury is a regional divide: Polish-style is sweeter (the sugar in the mix); Lithuanian-style is peppery. The recipe above is mid-sweet; lean either way to taste.
Serving
At the start of the seder meal, on individual plates with lettuce, carrot and horseradish. A glass of sweet white wine alongside.
Storage
In a covered container with the broth in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze cooked: the texture goes powdery.
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