gefilte fish from scratch

suomynona

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 6:47 am

what's the advantage of buying frozen ground vs. fresh ground? Is it cheaper, or is it only available frozen? how much does it cost?
do you know if Hockers sells bakala?

I'm talking about refreezing if cooking in water, since that kind is usually frozen raw and then cooked right before.

Does this taste like Israeli gefilte fish loaves or American? I don't like the Israeli kind so we buy American and it's so expensive.
If it tastes better than Israeli loaves, then I wonder why don't they just make the loaves this way in Israel?

HooRYou

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 7:01 am

I don't really eat fish so I am not a good source to tell you whether this tastes better than the regular Israeli loaves. I know that DH usually doesn't like loaves and he does like this kind. He also likes one of the Israeli kinds but it is not one of the brands usually sold in the supermarket. It is made by a fish store in Geula and we can get it at a couple of our local fish stores. We also buy it through the Mir organized fish/meat sale in our neighborhood.

I do freeze my boiled gefilte fish balls, but I usually start with fresh ground carp, just because that is what is usually available. I don't really know if the taste is affected but DH doesn't complain. I cook them a really long time though (not part of the original recipe just something that I oticed DH likes by accident) until all the cooking liquid is gone and then I freeze it with no broth in single Shabbos portions (3-4 pieces) for DH.

greenfire

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 9:40 am

unfortunately I do not follow a recipe ... but the 2 things I know ... is consistency with a lot of eggs ... fresh fish mostly white and a little pike ... and no fillers - good for pesach & year round ... matzoh meal or breadcrumbs make it less yum to me ... cook with onions and carrots in pot as well as ground into the fish - and I would avoid that frozen stuff - if you want the liquid a little more gelled add the fish head to the water (gross I don't Puke

) or you can also cook together with some slices of white fish ...

Last edited by greenfire on Mon, Mar 17 2008, 11:05 am; edited 1 time in total

Akeres Habayis

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 10:59 am

I will try it next time w/more eggs last recipe I used 2 and the 10tblsp of matzah meal,
so I guess 3eggs,no matzah meal???
I would like it more fluffier,and when I did try and cook it in the pot(we hate balls,reminds us of the jarred gefilte fish)it fell apart or wasn't fluffy.
I like ungers and thats my goal to get it to look and taste similar to that.

greenfire

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 11:07 am

get some parchment paper ... and roll it up ... oh and I would use more eggs ... like 6 What

you don't want it too liquidy the eggs create a bind

Akeres Habayis

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 12:39 pm

the problem greenfire is there isn't enough room in the pot for more than 1 roll unless I stack them.I rolled it in parchment paper but how to get it to stay rolled is also a problem
I like the baking better,the taste was good,but my oldest dd is skinny as I dont know what and if it isnt a good presentation she wont eat it Rolling Eyes

so 6eggs to a kilo of bakala no matzah meal???well I have enoug rolls to last for a while now, but for pesach I will do it.

mominisrael2

Thu, Sep 03 2009, 2:17 am

Bumping up this thread -- I'm making a trip to the shuk next week and am feeling very adventurous!! Smile

So if I go to the fish store and ask for bakala, does that come de-boned, or do I ask the guy to do it for me, or what? (Never bought fish in a fish store before embarrassed

) Would they grind it for me too, I don't have a food processor?

Mrs Bissli

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 12:23 pm

Can someone please enlighten me--what's the difference between American and Israeli gefilte fish?

Also, if I'm mamesh making it from scratch, ie grinding my own, do I have to de-bone the fish first? Or can I grind the whole thing, bones et al? How do you take the skin out?

mominisrael2

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 1:38 pm

I don't think there's a whole lot of difference in taste, no more than two different brands would be...definitely a difference in price though!

I'm very happy to report that my first attempt at homemade gefilte fish came out AMAZING...read about it on my blog here:

http://whatsforshabbos.blogspo......html

malky800

Sun, Nov 22 2009, 6:16 pm

Here in hic town usa I can't find pike. They said it's not sold retail, only wholesale. and even then it's only 20$ / pound.
Am I asking for the wrong thing?