Baked Herbed Gefilte Fish Food

BAKED HERBED GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Add the paprika, parsley, 1 pinch of the allspice, the salt, and pepper. Roll the frozen loaf in the oil and spices to coat. Remove the loaf from the pan, arrange the onion on the bottom of the pan, and place the loaf on top of the onion. Sprinkle with the garlic and the remaining 1 pinch allspice. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake, covered, for 2 hours.
• 3. Cool the gefilte fish completely, then place it in a resealable container and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold, sliced and topped with the onions.

GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Grind the fish, 2 1/2 onions and 4 carrots together. Place fish mixture in a wooden bowl. Using a hand chopper, add eggs one at a time. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons salt and white pepper and continue to chop until very well blended. Stir in the ice water a little at a time throughout this process. Add matzo meal and chop again. Check to see if mixture is thick enough to bind together to make an oval gefilte fish ball and if not add in more matzo meal.
• Meanwhile, fill two large heavy stock pots half full of water . Into each pot slice one raw onion and one sliced carrot. Add fish skins, if desired. Sprinkle in paprika, salt, black pepper and two tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil for 10 minutes.
• With wet hands shape the fish balls and 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 GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Prep the fish. Working in batches if necessary, place the rockfish, pike, and flounder fillets in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until pureed. Transfer the fish to a large bowl. Bring the fish stock to simmering in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Mix the fish. Add the matzo meal, eggs, sugar, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the fish. Mix together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Shape the fish mixture into oval patties about 2 by 4 inches. Carefully lower the patties into the simmering fish stock, return to simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined tray. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into the dish with the patties. Let the stock cool (it will gel) and then refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.
• Bake the fish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fish patties from the gelatin and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake the patties until lightly caramelized on edges-about 20 minutes. Serve topped with a dollop of the gelatinous stock and some Boiled Carrots with Prepared Horseradish on the side.

MADGE'S GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• In a large, wide pot, bring fish stock to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
• In a large bowl combine whitefish, yellow pike, and carp. Add onions, eggs, matzo meal, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup cold water. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a paste.
• Moisten hands with cold water. Shape about 1/3 cup of mixture into an oval slightly larger than an egg (3 to 4 inches long). Place gently in simmering stock. Repeat with remaining mixture. Add carrots. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and simmer, until firm and opaque, about 1 hour. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Chill until stock gels, at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold, or at room temperature, garnished with fresh horseradish and a sprig of dill. May be made up to 2 days ahead.

GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• 1) Combine all ingredients, except the fish skin in a large (8 to 10 quart) braising pot. The skin will be added after the Gefilte fish is cooking. 2) Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Mix the Gefilte fish while the stock is simmering. The dumplings will be cooked in the stock after it has simmered 20 to 30 minutes and the stock will not be strained until after the Gefilte fish is removed.;
• Grind the fish fillets (which will have the fine pin bones in the meat) through the small plate of a meat grinder. Mix well and grind again. Place the fish in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, onions, carrots, matzo meal, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix very well. Add the oil and cold water and blend into a smooth paste. Make a small ball and cook in the stock for a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Have a bowl of water handy. Keeping both hands wet, shape 3-ounces of the mixture into oval balls and drop into the stock. Continue until all are made and added to the stock. After they have cooked 10 minutes, add the skin (it was reserved) to the stock. Cover the pot and simmer slowly for 2 hours, turning and basting the dumplings every 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the Gefilte fish with a slotted spoon and place in a large container. Strain the remaining stock over the Gefilte fish. Pick the carrots slices out of the remains and add to the strained stock as well. Allow the Gefilte fish and carrots to cool in the stock, which should gel when completely chilled. Serve with the jellied stock, carrots and beet-horseradish. Slice the Gefilte fish for a nice presentation.;

GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch the whole head of cabbage for 5 minutes. Leaving water on the heat, remove whole leaves from cabbage and cut away the tough core from each. If removing leaves becomes difficult, return cabbage to water to soften. Place the leaves on a clean towel and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until wilted but not browned, about 4 minutes. Let cool. Place half a cup of fish broth in a large bowl and stir in the matzoh meal. Add onions, fish, egg yolks, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons of the salt, pepper and cayenne and stir until well combined. In a clean, medium-size bowl, beat egg whites until firm but not stiff. Stir 1/3 of the whites into fish mixture. Fold in remaining whites.
• To check seasoning, bring a little of the remaining fish broth to a simmer. Form a little of the fish mixture into a ball and cook it in the broth for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Heat the remaining fish broth and pour a little into an 11-by-17-inch baking pan.
• With moistened hands, divide the fish mixture into 12 portions, about 4 ounces each. Place each portion in the center of a cabbage leaf (place 2 leaves together, if necessary). Fold the sides over the filling and roll up the leaves to form neat packages. Place in the baking pan, seam side down. Pour the remaining broth over the packages. Scatter the carrot and leek over the top. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate.
• To serve, if using beets, stir them together with 1/2 cup horseradish. Place 1 cabbage package on each of 12 plates and garnish with the carrot and leek. Serve with the beet mixture or the 1 cup horseradish.

HERBED FISH AND VEGETABLES BARBECUED OR OVEN BAKED

Steps:

• Cut two sheets of heavy-duty foil paper 12" x 18".
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or preheat barbecue grill to medium-high.
• Spray each piece of foil paper with nonstick spray or lightly oil.
• Center one fish fillet on each sheet of foil paper.
• Divide green onions and top each fillet.
• Divide frozen veggies, or precooked leftover veggies, and place around fillet. Add one ice cube to each packet if using leftover cooked veggies to prevent drying.
• Sprinkle both packets of fillets and veggies with seasonings to taste.
• Top each packet with bits of butter.
• Bring up the foil paper sides. Double fold the top and ends to seal the packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
• Bake packets for 18 to 20 minutes on a cookie sheet in the preheated oven. Or, grill 10 to 12 minutes in a covered grill.
• Drizzle with lemon juice or serve lemon wedges on the side.

GEFILTE FISH TERRINE

Steps:

• Place leeks in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, place carrots in separate saucepan, cover with water and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain vegetables.
• Puree leeks in a food processor along with 1 tablespoon parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Without washing the machine, puree carrots, season them with lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg and set aside.
• Place matzoh meal in a bowl, add fish stock and set aside.
• Without washing food processor, add onions and process until finely chopped. Add fish and process until smoothly pureed. Add softened matzoh meal, eggs and remaining parsley and process until well blended. Season with salt (about 1 teaspoon) and liberally with pepper. Taste mixture for seasoning by poaching a small amount in water, then allowing to cool briefly.
• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 6-cup loaf pan or ring mold.
• Spread half the fish mixture in the pan, making a depression in middle that extends to within about 1/2 inch of sides. Spread half the leek mixture in depression; spread carrot puree over leeks and top with rest of leeks. Smooth in remaining fish. Rap pan several times on counter top to eliminate air holes. Place wax paper or parchment paper on top of the terrine.
• Set the pan in a larger pan at least 2 inches deep and place in oven. Add 1 to 1 1/2 inches of boiling water to outside pan.
• Bake 50 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool. Remove fish loaf from pan and place on a serving dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours to chill completely. Serve in slices with herbed or horseradish sauce on side.

HONEY BAKED GEFILTE FISH

Steps:

• Defrost gefilte fish loaf (partially defrosted is ok if you are pressed for time).
• Dump it unceremoniously in a 9" round pan (or equivalent).
• Add honey to taste (start with about 1/4 cup if you like your fish sweet; less if you don't), and sprinkle with white pepper (again, more if you like the thrill of the heat, less if you don't).
• Smoosh some more, and smooth out the top.
• Sprinkle with paprika for color.
• Bake at 325F (give or take) for about 40 minutes.
• Will be firm but not dry when it is done.