Name: Classic Gefilte Fish
Yield: Yield: about 26 patties (P)
Ingredients: 7 to 7 1/2 pounds whole carp, whitefish, and pike, filleted and ground*; 4 quarts cold water or to just cover; 3 teaspoons salt or to taste; 3 onions, peeled; 4 medium carrots, peeled; 2 tablespoons sugar or to taste; 1 small parsnip, chopped (optional); 3 to 4 large eggs; Freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 cup cold water (approximately); 1/3 cup matzah meal (approximately); *Ask your fishmonger to grind the fish. Ask him to reserve the tails, fins, heads, and bones. Be sure he gives you the bones and trimmings. The more whitefish you add, the softer your gefilte fish will be.

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Gefilte fish is one of those recipes where touch and taste are essential ingredients. A basic recipe goes this way:"You put in this and add that." If you don't want to taste the raw fish, add a bit more seasoning than you normally would. What makes this recipe Galicianer (southern Polish) is the addition of sugar. For some reason the farther south in Poland, the more sugar would be added. A Lithuanian Jew would never sweeten with sugar but might add beets to the stock. I have added ground carrot and parsnip to the fish, something that is done in the Ukraine, because I like the slightly sweet taste and rougher texture. If you want a darker broth, do not peel the onions and leave them whole.

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