Mimi's Grandmother's Gefilte Fish
A tribute to Yetta Glaser, my grandmother
posted by Mimi Hiller 05-02-98 3:04 PM
I wrote an article about my grandmother's gefilte fish that was published
in the LA Times a few years ago. My cousin wrote to ask me for the recipe,
and here is what I wrote him (unedited):
You need 4 kinds of fish...you need carp, whitefish, pike and another kind
of your choosing. It must be kosher, of course, but look for a fairly firm
fish like the above.
Russ Parsons changed my article to say halibut, but that's gross. Do NOT
use shad...it's too firm and makes the fish hard and dry. Bubbe used mullet
but sometimes you can't get that. She never swore by the above and always
told me not to buy fish if it was expensive, but she almost always bought
carp, whitefish, pike and mullet in all the years I helped her make it
(and she helped me, in the last few years of her life).
Carp is a pain...do no less than have them clean it for you...filleting it
is the biggest royal pain I've ever experienced in my kitchen. I can buy it
in a place that will fillet it, but I have to pay about $4 a pound for that
privilege (though there are times it's worth it)...on the other hand, if I
pace myself, I can buy all the fish and fillet it myself and save a bundle.
There are places in LA and the valley where I can get carp for .79 or .99 a
pound...they'll clean it for that price but I can't even pay them to fillet
it. Anyway, unless you have fillets in hand, allow yourself a lot of time
to take care of this.
Here are the proportions I recommend...these are approximate, so nothing
is engraved in stone:
4 pounds of carp fillets 2 pounds each of whitefish, pike and mullet fillets
Anyway, you need not only the fillets, but all the crap that goes with
them, too...heads, tails, bones, skin...the works.
And lastly, when I was learning how to make it from Bubbe, she taught me
to taste the raw fish mixture to determine if it was seasoned properly.
Those days are past. What with all the bacteria in animal products, you
don't want to do that anymore...so you cook small amounts to taste and
adjust seasonings. It takes a lot longer this way, but you're guaranteed
to make it to the seder in good health.
BUBBE'S GEFILTE FISH
Fish heads, tails, skin and bones saved from the fillets
Water
Salt
8 ribs of celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
10 pounds fish fillets, ground (if the fishmonger fillets it, get him to grind it for you, too)
2 large sweet onions, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper (I also use coarsely ground)
8 large eggs
2 cups matzo meal
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
Paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS: Cut 2 pieces of cheesecloth large enough to hold fish heads,
tails, skin and bones. Place in cheesecloth and tie closed. Put cheesecloth
packets in 2 large pots and cover with water. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
and half of celery and bring to boil. Turn heat down, cover and simmer 2
hours.
If fish has not been ground at market, grind fish in meat grinder or in
small batches in food processor.
Place ground fish in large bowl. Add onions, sugar, 2 T. salt, 1 teaspoon
finely ground black pepper and stir to combine. Lightly beat eggs and blend
with fish mixture. Mix in matzo meal, 1/2 cup at a time until mixture is
almost consistency of light meatballs, adding more if necessary. (If
mixture becomes too hard, add a little water.)
Place fish mixture in refrigerator to allow flavors to blend while fish
stock is simmering.
When stock is finished, remove cheesecloth packets, allowing packets to
drain back into pot. Discard these packets and their contents. Transfer
about 2 cups of fish stock to small pot and bring to simmer. Wet hands and
form a small ball with about 1 tablespoon of the fish mixture. Place in
pot, cover and cook about 10 minutes. Allow to cool 1 minute, then taste.
Adjust seasonings to taste. Gefilte fish should be slightly spongy with
sweet and lightly peppery taste.
When seasonings are adjusted properly, with wet hands form about 1/2 cup
fish mixture into slightly elongated shape. Lower fish ball into simmering stock. Repeat with remaining mixture, dividing between 2 pots. If necessary, add water
to stock. Spread 1/2 carrots and 1/2 remaining celery over fish. Sprinkle
with paprika and pepper. Repeat in second pot with remaining carrots,
celery, paprika and pepper.
Bring both pots to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
Remove from heat without lifting lids. Allow to stand, covered, another 30
minutes.
Serve warm or cold with warm fish stock and horseradish. Separate fish
from stock before refrigerating. Gefilte fish may be reheated in stock.
Makes 40 gefilte fish balls.
Mimi
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