FISH

Gefilte Fish

Salmon Patties

Gefilte Fish (makes about 24)

1 Spanish onion

1 cooking onion

3 lb. white fish

3 eggs

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 ¾ c. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. white pepper

3 celery stalks with leaves

2 big carrots

¼ c. matzo meal

Peel the Spanish onion and cut it in half.  Chop one half of the onion into pieces and dice them in a food processor

In a large mixing bowl, combine diced onion with fish, eggs, oil, sugar, salt, and white pepper.  Chop at the mixture with a small cleaver (or a large knife) until it is well mixed.

Cut the remaining half of the Spanish onion into 3 sections.  Peel and cut the cooking onion in half.  Wash the celery and cut each stalk in half.  Peel and wash the carrots and cut each in half. 

Fill a giant pot to the halfway mark with warm water.  Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and set aside to soak. 

Add ¼ c. of matzo meal to the fish mixture.  Chop and mix with the knife. 

Transfer half of the fish mixture to the food processor and blend it until it is very smooth.  If it looks kind of chunky, blend in a drop of water to make it smoother.  Transfer to a bowl.  Blend the other half of fish mixture in the food processor until it is very smooth.

Cover the giant pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.

In the meantime, transfer all of the fish to back to the large mixing bowl.  Kneed in a handful of vegetable oil.  Kneed the fish into a large ball.  If it’s sticking to your hands, wet them with cold water. 

Fill a bowl with cold water.  Cover a cutting board in cold water.  Wet your hands in the bowl.  Roll 1 handful of fish into a ball.  Place it on the cutting board and press it with the palm of your hand to flatten it. 

With a wet spatula, place (don’t drop) each piece of fish into the pot.  Let the water return to a boil.  The fish will float up to the surface.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a slow boil for 2 hours. 

Plug the sink and place the pot in the sink.  Fill the sink with very cold water (to surround the pot.)  Uncover the pot and let it cool. 

Cut the cooked carrots into thick slices.  Transfer the fish to a dish and garnish each piece with a slice of carrot.  Cover the dish and refrigerate.  Enjoy cold or at room temperature with horseradish. 

Salmon Patties

2 cans Pacific sockeye salmon

2 eggs

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ c. matzo meal

½ cup vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine the fish, eggs, garlic powder, and matzo meal, and mix to a medium-smooth texture, like tuna salad.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Coat a large frying pan in a thick layer of vegetable oil.  Heat the oil over medium heat for a few minutes.  Wet your hands and mix the salmon by squeezing it together.  When the oil is hot, roll handfuls of salmon into patties and place them into the pan.  If the oil is hot enough, it should bubble.  Fry the patties for about 8 minutes, or until the bottoms are nice and brown.  Flip the patties and fry to brown the other sides.

Transfer the patties to a baking or broiling pan covered in paper towel to absorb the excess oil.  Cool and enjoy!

Optional:  Place the patties in the oven at 250 degrees (without the paper towel) for 1 hour to crisp.