Recipe: Mother-in-Law's Boiled Gefilte Fish

MOTHER-IN-LAW'S BOILED GEFILTE FISH
"My mother-in-law passed this popular recipe down to me. In the tradition of Jewish cuisine, cooks simply added a little of this and a bit of that until the right combination was achieved. My late husband encouraged me to undergo "fish ball training" with his mother as part of our engagement!"


FISH STOCK:
4 cups water
4 yellow onions, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 pound bones and skin of fish (any type)
2 celery stalks
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons parsley
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 black whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
FISH BALL MIXTURE:
1 pound boneless, skinless haddock
1 pound boneless, skinless cod
1 pound boneless, skinless bream
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped finely
2 large eggs
2 to 3 tablespoons medium-ground matzah meal
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 drop almond extract

TO MAKE THE FISH STOCK:
Place all the ingredients for the fish stock in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

TO MAKE THE FISH BALL MIXTURE:
Mince the fish in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients for the fish balls. Pulse until light and sticky. Season if necessary.

TO MAKE THE FISH BALLS:
Using wet hands, roll fish mixture into egg-sized balls. Using the palm of your hand, flatten the balls slightly. Place balls in fish stock and cook over medium heat 45 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish balls to a serving platter.

Can be made in advance. Can be frozen up to 2 weeks.

VARIATION:
The fish balls can be cooked in a deep-fat fryer or boiled in fish stock, which is the lighter of the two versions.

PAREVE: contains no meat or dairy products, Passover-friendly

Makes 40 small balls (10-12 servings)
Source: The Jewish Mama's Kitchen by Denise Phillips