Gefilte Fish, Made with Love

Gefilte Fish, Made with LoveGeri’s Gefilte Fish

Gefilte Fish made with love…for Passover, for our beloved family, for our cherished friends. While the gefilte fish doesn’t appeal to everyone at the Seder (to put it mildly) it does have a time-honored place on the Passover menu.

How To Make Gefilte Fish

It could have something to do with nostalgia and the memory of my Nana’s gefilte fish from Passovers long ago…but I love those fishy balls poached with carrots and onion now served with chrain, matzohs, and a delicious beet salad with citrus and walnuts. Especially when they’re made by Geri!

Several guests at our Seder adore the perennially controversial appetizer, while others politely refrain, due to its “ahem, fishiness” – but we all have to appreciate that it is made in respect for age-old customs and tradition, and ultimately made with love.

This year, I asked my dear Cousin Geri, who has been making our gefilte fish for decades, if she would share her recipe. It simply rocks. What took me so long to ask?

Gefilte Fish for Passover

Geri’s Gefilte Fish Recipe

Thank you Lori for the beautiful Seder. Everything was beautiful and the food, as usual, was outstanding. We had a wonderful time.

The recipe for my Gefilte Fish was given to me by my friend and I would be happy to share it with you. I have changed it a little because I do not use matzo meal (they now have gluten-free matzo meal but I still don’t use it).

Read about Our Best Passover Menu, our table decor, and link to our other Passover recipes here.

HOW TO MAKE GEFILTE FISH

FISH
8 lbs ground Fish:
4 lbs whitefish
2 lbs trout
2 lbs pike
(Makes between 40 – 45 pieces of fish).

STOCK POT
Wash Fish bones (that you get with the Fish).
Put Fish bones in bottom of stock pot.
2 onions sliced
3 carrots sliced
Put onions and carrots on top of bones.
Add salt and white pepper to your taste.
Fill pot a little less than 1/2 full and bring to a boil. Once it boils turn to simmer.
(Pot should be big enough to accommodate all the Fish).

PREPARING THE FISH
Place ground Fish in mixing bowl and add the following:
2 carrots grated
1 onion grated
3 eggs
1/4 cup matzo meal (I do not use)
Ice water as needed
Fold all the ingredients together with your hands for about 5 minutes adding some ice water as you fold. The mixture should be light and bouncy.

MAKING THE FISH BALLS
Set out ice water in large bowl. Make balls by dipping hands in ice water then forming fish mixture into balls. Add a slice of carrot to each ball. Gently place fish balls in stock pot. When all balls are made, bring to boil and then simmer. Cook covered for 1 1/2 hours and uncovered for 1/2 hour.

When Fish has cooled, drain Fish stock. Refrigerate covered.

I don’t use the Fish stock to store with my Fish, but some people do.

This is basically how I make my Fish. Where I buy it they grind it for me and give me nice clean bones. You can tweak by adding salt to the Fish mixture if you like.

If you have any questions please let me know.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Bar Mitzvah.

Gefilte Fish for Passover

Thanks Geri, You are the Best, Love You! See you this summer at Jett’s Bar Mitzvah!

Gefilte Fish for Passover

Next Year in Jerusalem

As Passover 2017 comes to a close, we say shalom, peace, with our lips and our hearts. We pray for peace, for us, for everyone. Next year in Jerusalem: next year may everyone be free.

Some people mean they want to celebrate Passover in the actual city of Jerusalem when they say, “Next year in Jerusalem.” But others are expressing the hope that they will be together again at Passover with all their loved ones.

And for many, saying, “Next year in Jerusalem,” is another way of saying they hope by next year to live in a world that offers safety and peace, freedom and plenty, to all people, all over the world.  (Excerpt from The Family Haggadah).

11 thoughts on “Gefilte Fish, Made with Love”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.