Baked Gefilte Fish

Name: Baked Gefilte Fish
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: jewish
Ingredients: 1 head green cabbage; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small onion, peeled and minced; 4 1/2 cups fish broth; 3 tablespoons matzoh meal; 2 pounds white fish filets (pike, carp or whitefish), finely chopped; 3 large eggs, separated; 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped; 2 to 3 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper; Cayenne pepper to taste; 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into julienne; 1 medium leek, white part only, cut into julienne; 1/2 pound red beets, cooked until just tender, peeled and finely grated (optional); 1/2 to 1 cup grated fresh horseradish

By Marian Burros

Updated Aug. 3, 2024

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

1head green cabbage
1tablespoon olive oil
1small onion, peeled and minced
4½cups fish broth
3tablespoons matzoh meal
2pounds white fish filets (pike, carp or whitefish), finely chopped
3large eggs, separated
½cup Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
2tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
2 to 3teaspoons salt
½teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
1medium carrot, peeled and cut into julienne
1medium leek, white part only, cut into julienne
½pound red beets, cooked until just tender, peeled and finely grated (optional)
½ to 1cup grated fresh horseradish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch the whole head of cabbage for 5 minutes. Leaving water on the heat, remove whole leaves from cabbage and cut away the tough core from each. If removing leaves becomes difficult, return cabbage to water to soften. Place the leaves on a clean towel and set aside.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until wilted but not browned, about 4 minutes. Let cool. Place half a cup of fish broth in a large bowl and stir in the matzoh meal. Add onions, fish, egg yolks, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons of the salt, pepper and cayenne and stir until well combined. In a clean, medium-size bowl, beat egg whites until firm but not stiff. Stir ⅓ of the whites into fish mixture. Fold in remaining whites.
Step 3
To check seasoning, bring a little of the remaining fish broth to a simmer. Form a little of the fish mixture into a ball and cook it in the broth for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Heat the remaining fish broth and pour a little into an 11-by-17-inch baking pan.
Step 4
With moistened hands, divide the fish mixture into 12 portions, about 4 ounces each. Place each portion in the center of a cabbage leaf (place 2 leaves together, if necessary). Fold the sides over the filling and roll up the leaves to form neat packages. Place in the baking pan, seam side down. Pour the remaining broth over the packages. Scatter the carrot and leek over the top. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate.
Step 5
To serve, if using beets, stir them together with ½ cup horseradish. Place 1 cabbage package on each of 12 plates and garnish with the carrot and leek. Serve with the beet mixture or the 1 cup horseradish.