How to Make Gifilte Fish for Passover

Gifilte is fish, usually carp, that has been deboned and ground into a paste. The term comes from the German gefullte, meaning "filled" or "stuffed" because the paste is sometimes stuffed back into the skin of the fish. It is a traditional food among Ashkenazi Jews, especially during Passover. The following steps will show how to make gifilte fish.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• For the fish stock:
• Fish bones, heads included
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 onions, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 parsnip, chopped
• 1½ tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. sugar
• For the fish mixture:
• 8 to 9 lbs. fish meat, mostly white meat
• ½ cup matzo meal
• 6 eggs
• 4 onions
• 2 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. ginger
• 2 tsp. white pepper
• 1½ tsp. sugar

1. Place the ingredients for the fish stock in a large stock pot. Add just enough water to cover them and bring the mixture to a boil. Skim off the surface scum and lower the heat so that the stock just barely boils. Simmer for 30 minutes and adjust the flavoring to taste.
2. Strain the stock and set it aside. It will be used later as a poaching liquid for the fish.
3. Grind the fish meat with the onions until it is finely chopped. Place the meat and onions in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients except for the matzo meal. Blend in just enough matzo meal to give the fish mixture the consistency of raw hamburger.
4. Chop the mixture well and slowly add water to maintain the consistency. Make the gifilte fish into balls or patties and carefully drop it into the stock.
5. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for 1.5 hours. Remove the fish and pour some of the stock over it. Chill until served.