Israel · Fish and Seafood Dishes
Stuffed Fish (Gefilte Fish)
An Ashkenazi Jewish classic — whole fish is cut into steaks, the flesh is ground with onion and bread to make a tender stuffing, then the pieces are gently simmered in aromatic broth until the cooking liquid sets into a…
Ingredients
- whole fish: carp or pike (or a mix)1750 g
- large onions3 piece
- large carrot1 piece
- white bread soaked in water110 g
- eggs3 piece
- vegetable oil2 tbsp
- sugar1 tsp
- bay leaves2 piece
- horseradish for serving100 g
- allspice berries5 piece
- salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
Method
- 1Scale the fish. Cut off head, tail and fins. Carefully remove innards without puncturing the gallbladder. Cut crosswise into 3-4 cm steaks. Using a small knife, carefully cut out the flesh from each steak, keeping the skin and backbone intact to form rings.
- 2Pass the fish flesh, 1 onion and squeezed bread through a meat grinder twice (without a grinder, use a food processor in short pulses so the mixture does not turn to paste). Combine with eggs, sugar, salt and pepper. Finely chop the second onion and fry it in oil until golden; mix into the filling. Knead well to make the mixture fluffy. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- 3With wet hands, shape filling into oval patties and gently press into the fish skin rings. Do not over-pack — the filling expands during cooking.
- 4Line the bottom of a wide pot with fish head, spine, bones, onion skins, the third onion sliced into rings and half the carrot rounds. Arrange stuffed pieces on top. Add remaining carrot, allspice and bay leaves.
- 5Cover with cold water to 2-3 cm above the fish. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, season with salt and simmer uncovered for 1.5-2 hours.
- 6Allow to cool in the cooking liquid, then refrigerate. Serve cold when the broth has set into jelly, with sharp horseradish.