Gefilte fish from Yiddish: and German: gefüllter Fisch "stuffed fish" is an Ashkenazi Jewish dish made from a poached mixture of ground boned fish, such as carp, whitefish or pike, which is typically eaten as an appetizer. Nowadays gefilte fish is not always stuffed in side other fish but formed into patties and either simmered on top of the stove in a fish stock, baked or Fried ( Chopped & Fried).
Health Benefits of Fish
Fish is a low-fat high quality protein. Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium. It is recommended eating fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet. Fish is packed with protein, vitamins, and nutrients that can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Eating fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients keep our heart and brain healthy. Two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Our bodies don't produce omega-3 fatty acids so we must get them through the food we eat. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in every kind of fish, but are especially high in fatty fish. Some good choices are salmon, trout, sardines, herring, mackerel,and tuna,
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
- Help maintain a healthy heart by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of sudden death, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes.
- Aid healthy brain function and infant development of vision and nerves during pregnancy.
- May decrease the risk of depression, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and diabetes.
- May prevent inflammation and reduce the risk of arthritis
Most family's have a traditional recipe I am going to share my grandmothers tried and tested recipe with you, but I have also put in my healthier additions to the recipe. or for Gluten free diets. I have used this i recipe for over 45 years since I first made this traditionally Jewish dish. I remember frying over 1000 fish balls for a lunch club for the elderly 24 hours before my son was born in an effort to bring him into the world (( It worked).
I also use to make the fish balls for a kosher deli and then walk home with the smell attached to me.
Chopped and fried can be cocktail size for simchas, medium size for family meals but never have I seen a fish ball the size of the ones served in The Brick Lane Kosher lunch club in London's East End. My son reminded about them the other day and that sparked this post, The club held in a synagogue of the east end of London served the remaining elderly Jewish population regular hot food, but also sold prebooked lunches to the general public. The Fish balls there were the size of an ostrich egg, how they managed to be cooked all the way though and not burnt on the outside I will never know. But these fish balls of gargantuan proportions delighted generations of diners with their flavor and size.
I also use to make the fish balls for a kosher deli and then walk home with the smell attached to me.
Chopped and fried can be cocktail size for simchas, medium size for family meals but never have I seen a fish ball the size of the ones served in The Brick Lane Kosher lunch club in London's East End. My son reminded about them the other day and that sparked this post, The club held in a synagogue of the east end of London served the remaining elderly Jewish population regular hot food, but also sold prebooked lunches to the general public. The Fish balls there were the size of an ostrich egg, how they managed to be cooked all the way though and not burnt on the outside I will never know. But these fish balls of gargantuan proportions delighted generations of diners with their flavor and size.
Basic Recipe2 Lb white fish fillets like Haddock/ cod Fillet Skinned
1/2 Lb oily fish like mackerel or herring
2 Medium Onions
3 large Eggs
1 desert spoon ice cold water
2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon black Pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 oz Medium Matzah Meal or ground almonds
Get your fishmonger to fillet and skin the fish, but if you are making boiled fish you can use them for the stock.
then ask him to mince the fish otherwise grind it in a food processor,
in a large bowl place the fish , salt, pepper , sugar, and matzo meal or ground almonds
In the food processor blend the onions, eggs, and water and add it to the fish mixture,
Mix it well together,
Now you have a choice how to prepare and cook the fish.
Traditional Fish Boiled Balls
For this you need
4 carrots peeled and sliced
3 onions peeled and cut into chunks
the bones heads and skin of the fish washed wrapped in cheesecloth or muslin.
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
Fill a pot half full with water add the carrots, onions , fish bones etc in the muslin, pepper salt and bay leaves Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil for 10 minutes.
Shape you fish either into a long sausage like log which you then wrap in baking parchment and cling film
Or fish pate shapes
carefully drop into boiling stock. Cover slightly and cook over medium-low heat for 2 hours. When done, let fish sit in the pot for 10 minutes, then remove pieces carefully to containers and strain remaining stock over fish balls, just barely covering them. Chill and serve. They will now keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Baked spiced fish balls.
Put the oven on to 170 c 350 F
Shape the fish balls place into an ovenproof dish
cover in Spiced Tomato Vegetable sauce recipe below
bake for 40 minutes serve hot or cold
Tomato vegetable sauce for 6-8
I large can tomato paste
3 cans water ( the same can )
2 cloves garlic squeezed
4 onions chopped finely
½ teaspoon organic sugar
½ teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 carrots finely chopped ( diced)
Any other vegetables you can find zucchini , eggplant chopped. ( use red peppers if you have ) can all go in
Coconut Oil little
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon
Put oil in pan add the onions garlic and carrots , sauté until soft
Add other vegetables and also sauté’
Add the tomato paste stir well and then add the 3 cans of water, stirring all the time
Add all the other seasoning
Bring to the boil but be careful it splatters. then put on a low light covered for 30 minutes
You can shape and balls or loaf and freeze them raw, and then defrost before cooking
Chopped and Fried
You need vegetable oil for frying
Shape the balls
Fill a pan with sufficient oil for frying, about ¼-inch deep. Set over a medium-high flame. When a sprinkling of matzo meal sizzles in the oil, add as many patties as will fit without crowding the pan.
If you are using an electric pan you need to deep fry fill the pan to 1’inch,
Fry for 3 minutes on each side, at which point the balls should be crisp and golden brown. Check that the fish is cooked all the way through (the center should be white rather than translucent). If not cooked through, continue cooking on lower heat.
serve with chraine
Chopped and fried balls can be frozen once cooked !
Chopped and fried are not as healthy, but I make no excuses for including this recipe because its full of nostalgia for me.
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