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Gefilte fish
Makes 45 medium-sized balls Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 6 large onions, chopped
- 2kg mix of perch, bream and mulloway (or other white fish) fillets, minced
- slice challah, soaked in water, then liquid squeezed out (omit this during Pesach)
- 85g fine matzo meal or fresh breadcrumbs
- 7 eggs
- 2tbsp salt
- 80g sugar
- 11⁄2tsp freshly ground
- white pepper
- 250ml water
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3mm discs
- prepared horseradish condiment, to serve
For the fish stock
- 1-1.2kg (about 2-3) snapper heads and bones
- large brown onion, skinned, left whole
- 3 celery stalks, cut into thirds
- swede, peeled, quartered
- parsnip, peeled, quartered
- 4 carrots, peeled, cut into thirds
- 3tbsp sugar
- 1tbsp salt
- small handful black peppercorns
- 1⁄2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
- 3 dried bay leaves
Method
Gefilte fish is best started at least 2 days before serving. The fish stock is best made a day or two before cooking, and the raw fish mixture is best refrigerated overnight. The cooked balls are served cold, so they need to be chilled after cooking.
First, make the stock. To clean the fish heads and bones, cut off and discard the sharp fins and eyes. Rinse the heads and bones in cold water and clean thoroughly. Place them in a stockpot or very large saucepan with the onion, celery, swede, parsnip and carrot and cover with cold water. Add the sugar and salt and bring to the boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the top. Add the peppercorns, parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 2 hours. Strain and adjust the seasoning to taste. Cool and refrigerate until needed.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently fry half the onion until soft and light golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Using a mincer, mince the fish with both the raw and fried onion and finish with the challah. omit the challah during Passover. Add the matzo meal, eggs and seasonings to the mixture and mix well. Pour in as much water as needed (up to 225ml) to lighten the mixture. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours but preferably overnight, to allow the liquid to be absorbed and the mixture to firm up.
Before you cook all the gefilte fish, cook one small ball to test for seasoning. Put the stock into the stockpot, add the carrot and bring to the boil. With wet hands, make a walnut-sized ball from the mixture and poach it in the stock for a few minutes. Cool, taste and adjust the seasoning in the mixture if necessary.
Using wet hands and a wet spoon, take roughly 2 dessert spoons of mixture, form into balls and drop into the stock. Continue until all the mixture is used. Cook, covered, on a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. Shake the pot gently from time to time to ensure the balls do not stick.
Remove the fish balls and carrots with a slotted spoon. Place the fish balls in a dish in one layer and top each one with a slice of carrot. Cool and then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until serving.
Strain the remaining stock and refrigerate. It will cool to form a jelly that can be served with the fish. Serve with the horseradish on the side.
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