Food & Drink

How To Make Gefilte Fish

Gefilte Fish recipe. A delicately flavoured, patty of ground white fish, poached in a wholesome, steaming broth. Gefilte Fish is a passover favourite. Enlarge

How To Make Gefilte Fish

Gefilte Fish recipe. A delicately flavoured, patty of ground white fish, poached in a wholesome, steaming broth. Gefilte Fish is a passover favourite.

Prep:
30m
Cook:
2h:10m
Total:
2h:40m
Serves:
twelve

Step 1: You will need….

  • 1 kg ground fish, carp, pike or white fish
  • 100 g matzo meal
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • for the broth:
  • 3 carrots, peeled
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 tsp whole black pepper
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • salt
  • 3 ltr water
  • fish trimmings - head, bones of fish etc
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 pan with lid
  • 1 sieve
  • 1 ladle
  • 1 slotted spoon
  • 1 bowl
  • 1 spoon
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 knife
  • 1 tray

Step 2: Make the broth

Put the whole carrots and onions into the saucepan. Then add the celery, black pepper, sugar and salt. Next, add the fish trimmings and cover with 3 litres of water. Bring it all to a simmer, spooning out any impurities that have collected on the top and allow it to gently bubble until the carrots are soft, which will take roughly 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 3: Make the fish mix

Firstly, add the ground carp or pike into a bowl. Follow with the eggs, matzo meal, season with salt and pepper and finally add the sugar. Mix well.

Step 4: Strain the broth

Remove the carrots from the broth, reserving them for later use and strain it into a pan below. Take care as the steam may be hot! Then place the pan back onto a medium heat, to gently simmer. Discard the rest of the vegetables from the broth.

Step 5: Shape the fish balls

Using your hands, shape the fish mixture into oval shaped balls. Keeping your hands wet prevents the dough from sticking. Then gently slide them into the simmering liquid. Cover the pan and cook for 1.5 hours.

Step 6: Slice the carrots

Take the carrots reserved earlier, slice them into medium sized rings and set aside.

Step 7: Garnish and chill

After 1.5 hours, remove the broth from the heat and set it aside to cool down, for roughly 1/2 an hour. Once cooled, gently remove the fish balls and place them into a serving dish, pouring a little of the fish broth over the top to enhance the flavour. Then top each of the balls with a carrot ring. Wrap the dish with cling film and transfer to the fridge, to chill, until you are ready to serve.

Step 8: Serve

Once the dish is cold, you may garnish it with some parsley. Serve with some horseradish sauce, to totally titillate your taste buds!