Raw Fish Heads (white fish) How to prepare?

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Forum -> Yom Tov / Holidays -> Rosh Hashana-Yom Kippur

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amother

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 7:23 pm

It is a custom in our family to serve a fish head to every adult male at the table on the first day of Rosh Hashana. Can anyone tell me, please, how to prepare the fish head so it won't taste or smell very "fishy?"
I have tried putting a few fish heads in a pot of water with salt and a few carrots, but still, the whole kitchen smells fishy and no one will touch the head when I serve the meal...Help!!!
I have also tried using a 9x13 tin foil pan and placing the fish heads in the oven with some water and sliced carrots, but again the house smells fish and the heads are not very appealing. Help!!!

amother

Lilac

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 7:35 pm

I cook it in the leftover water after cooking getilte fish. This way water is already spiced with sugar/salt/pepper and carrots.... doesn’t smell too fishy that way

amother

Salmon

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 7:39 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I buy smoked fish heads. Tastes delicious and no fishy smell.

amother

Linen

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 8:50 pm

My dh grills them on the outdoor grill so the smell stays outside. The kids love it for some reason.

BatyaEsther

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 9:09 pm

Lemon helps with the fish smell

Ruchel

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 4:05 am

Fresh as possible.
I did hear some cook it.
Online some use candies or drawings

ra_mom

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:00 am

Rinse, pat dry, rub with garlic, evoo, s&p. Roast.
Cooking it just seems to make it more fishy.

amother

Violet

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 5:38 pm

BatyaEsther wrote:

Lemon helps with the fish smell

Not,good to use sour or bitter foods for rosh hashana

iyar

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 6:15 pm

OP I think your fish smelled funny because you only put salt and carrots in your pot of water. You definitely need salt and the carrot might add a little sweetness, but here are other things you can flavor the broth with:

Fresh sliced onions
a celery stalk
Peppercorns
salt (you got that one already)
sugar (or honey if you prefer)
half a cup of dry or semi dry white wine
a bay leaf
2 whole allspice berries
You can skip the the bay leaf and allspice if you want to, but don't skip anything else.

Rinse the fish in cold water, sprinkle generously with salt, and refrigerate while you bring the water and add-ins above to a boil. Turn the broth down to a slow simmer, take the fish out of the fridge and rinse again in cold water. Simmer fish in the broth for 30 - 45 minutes uncovered. Let it cool before removing from the pot or it will fall apart. Strain the broth over the fish to cover about halfway. I like to add a fresh sliced raw onion to the cooked fish to keep it smelling less fishy.

greenfire

Tue, Sep 24 2019, 11:27 am

there is no mitzva to torture people who don't like fish ~ alleviate the need to serve each person their own head imagine a lot of them will create an unpleasant odor

that being said cook them alongside a roll of gefilte fish or sliced white fish with onions, pepper, salt, carrots & make it a meal

alternatively buy a whole smoked fish & everybody just pull a drop to eat ...

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