Giffilte Fish

Homemade gefilte fish starts at the fish counter. You want equal parts whitefish and pike ground together with a small amount of carp for richness. That blend gives you the mild, clean flavor and light texture that makes from-scratch gefilte fish incomparable to anything from a jar.

The fish heads, bones, and trimmings go into the kettle first with sliced onions, celery, and carrots to build the poaching broth. This stock is what gives each piece its savory depth. The ground fish gets mixed with eggs, matzo meal, and a little water until the mixture is light enough to hold together but not dense. White pepper is traditional here, not black.

Wet your hands before shaping each piece and lower them gently into the simmering broth. They poach slowly, absorbing flavor from the stock while the carrots cook alongside them for the classic garnish.

Chef Tips

• Ask your fishmonger to grind the fish and save the heads and bones for the broth. This is standard practice at any good fish counter.
• Keep the poaching broth at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil. Boiling makes the fish tough and causes it to fall apart.
• The broth will gel when chilled. Serve each piece with a slice of cooked carrot on top and a spoonful of that jelled broth alongside prepared horseradish.
• Add beets to the broth for the traditional rosy color and a touch of sweetness.

Variations

• Use all whitefish if pike is unavailable in your area.
• Add a pinch of sugar to the fish mixture, which is the Polish-style approach for a sweeter version.
• Bake the formed patties instead of poaching for a firmer, golden exterior.