Gefilte Fish

2 carrots
1 large onion
1/2 cup water
1 raw egg
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

1 kilo fresh ground fish -- either carp or a mixture of carp, white fish and/or pike. The fishes can be mixed. Nile perch is a new addition to our list of fishes. Nile perch is used alone.

Grind together all the Ingredients, and then mix in the ground fish. At this point the fish may be formed into logs -- approx 3" wide and 12" long - wrapped tightly into tin foil for freezing. Frozen fish may be cooked in the log form. It is easy to slice for individual servings. Or, ovals about the size of a pear can be formed. Drop them into boiling sauce and allow them to cook slowly for 2 hours. Let cool before removing the fish balls from the sauce.

Cooking Sauce for Gefilte Fish

4 cups water
4 carrots
3 onions
1 Tbsp salt & 1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp sugar
fish bones and heads

Bring to a boil and add the fish balls or logs.

Serve with Horseradish on a bed of lettuce. A slice of the cooked carrot adds color to the dish.

Making gefilte fish is a challenge. My mother made it -- my grandmother made it --and I had to make it. In order to become a real Balabusta (woman of the house) I had to prove myself in the kitchen. Challah, chicken soup, and gefilte fish had to be made. Once they were tried and successful - you knew that you were on the way to becoming a Balabusta. The first time I made it -- I was so proud. But, like every child, I needed my parents approval. At that time we were living in Worcester, MA and my parents lived in Camden, NJ. I decided to do what my sister Helen did -- she had lilacs in her garden and it was one of my mothers favorite flowers. Each year she took the first cuttings and wrapped them well and sent them from Washington, DC to my mother who lived in New Jersey.

I carefully wrapped a jar of the freshly made delicacy and sent it out Air Mail, Special Delivery. (This was before overnight delivery service.) A few days later I received a call from Mom and Dad telling me how great the fish was. I was thrilled. Years later they finally told me the truth ... it arrived spoiled but they didn't want to hurt my feelings. I made another batch while they were visiting and got their full approval.

From "Adventures in Bubby Irma's Kitchen" (Targum Press)