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Entrees: Gefilte Fish

By Freya (Blitstein)

Related to: Polonnoye (Town)

The Cooks: Rose ROZMARIN KRAMER, from - Polonnoye near Zhitomer (in Volhynnia Guberniya)

These recipes were modified by Rose's daughter Sarah (KRAMER) BLITSTEIN
and shared with us by Rose’s grandaughter Freya (BLITSTEIN) MASLOV

  • 6 ½ LBS FISH – AND BONES - heads, cheekbones, tails. Should be 5 - 5½ lbs filleted. Whitefish, Pike & Trout mixture. (Ask butcher to coarse-grind all the fish together, and separately save all the bones for you – this is important.)
  • 1 egg per pound of fish
  • 2 medium onions, sliced (OSO Sweet or Vidalia, if not then Spanish)
  • 2 more large onions, cut up
  • kosher salt
  • 1 glass water (8 to 10 oz)
  • white pepper, to taste
  • Accent (taste enhancer & tenderizer--- can be omitted)
  • 4 or 5 small carrots – or ½ bag of baby carrots, sliced into "coins"
  • Scrape excess fish off of bones and add to the pre-ground mixture.
    Put the heads, bones, and sliced medium onions nto large pot, and cook while preparing rest of fish.

    Add the eggs (to the fish?) and mix with hands. Place mixture in large wooden bowl.

    Add 1 handful (of what?) – like grandma did! Equivalent to 1 well rounded Tsp.

    Add 2 ½ handfuls of Kosher Salt to taste (Well rounded TBSP)

    Add 1 glass of water VERY slowly when needed. Pepper generously.

    Now, chop, chop, chop. If you think you have chopped enough, chop for another 15 minutes - - fish will be "puchier" (softer & fluffier)
    You will know it is chopped enough when mixture begins to stick, without falling, to the chopper!

     

    Strain bones from soup – but keep soup mix at boiling.

    What you didn't scrape off the bones at the beginning – can now be eaten! (That's the perk for being the Cook)

    Add 2 large onions, cut up (into chunks?) and sliced carrots to soup mix. Season to taste.

    Shape fish (with wet hands) and drop carefully into soup.

    Add 1 tsp salt and pepper to soup. (Season BEFORE and AFTER dropping fish in?)
    If needed, add enough water to cover the fish.

    GENTLY boil – covered – About 1½ to 2 hours.

    Remove cover for last ½ hour.

    Remove from heat and let stand in juice until cool. Skim the muck off the top.

    Carefully remove fish and place in bowl.

    Save soup for "dunking" the Challeh……Grandpa's & Dad's favorite pastime.

    Serve with horseradish of your choice.