My great-great-grandparents, Fischel Weinstein and Myril Karnos, rented a section of the Dniester River, located in present-day Moldova, to grow fish, which they sold to the local community. The name “Fischel” has been passed down through generations, along with a traditional gefilte fish recipe from this region. To this day, I have yet to find anyone in Europe who prepares our family recipe for gefilte fish unless they have South American roots. While we no longer grow our own fish, our family continues to prepare this recipe annually to ensure that this unique heritage is preserved.
This recipe is much more than just a tasty dish; it is a piece of living history. There is a common misconception that Ashkenazi, Sephardic and Mizrahi communities lived in isolated cultural bubbles with no points of connection. However, modern historians and DNA studies, as well as certain recipes like this Bessarabian gefilte fish, have proven otherwise. This unique preparation has gained popularity among Jewish communities in Chile and, to some extent, Argentina, while it has nearly disappeared in Europe following the Holocaust.
This gefilte fish recipe has its roots in the regions of Romania, Moldova and southern Ukraine, collectively known as Bessarabia. It combines traditional Ashkenazi gefilte fish with the Sephardic influence of fried fish, known as pescado frito. When Sephardic Jews migrated to England and the Netherlands, they brought their pescado frito preparation with them, which eventually contributed to the creation of the famous fish and chips. Those who settled in Turkey and the Ottoman Empire also influenced both non-Jewish and Ashkenazi households with their love for eggplants and fried fish.
Bessarabia’s original population consisted of Sephardic Jews who settled in the Ottoman Empire after being expelled from Spain and Portugal in 1492. During the 18th century, the arrival of Ashkenazi Jews fleeing antisemitism in Central Europe led to the cultural assimilation of the smaller Sephardic communities.
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Despite this assimilation, the culinary influences of the Ottoman Empire and Sephardic preferences left a lasting impact on Ashkenazi cuisine, resulting in unique combinations, such as this fried and boiled version of gefilte fish, served with chrain (horseradish sauce) and smoked eggplant puree made with vinegar and garlic.
Traditionally, gefilte fish was made by stuffing a more expensive fish with a less valuable fish paste to create an appealing dish for festive occasions. Over time, the preparation evolved into the familiar form of small fish patties served with sliced carrots and a garnish of parsley. In Russia and Poland, it is typically enjoyed cold and sweet, while further south, it is served hot and savory. The original recipe usually called for carp as the main fish, but today, any white fish or a mixture of different fish can be used.
Expand your perception of gefilte fish and preserve a piece of Jewish history by making this delicious recipe!
This article was produced as part of The Nosher’s Jewish Food Fellows Program, which aims to diversify the voices telling Jewish food stories in media spaces.
Notes:
- Chrain, typically served with fish, consists of finely grated raw beetroot mixed with horseradish. It’s easiest to use the prepared horseradish sauce from a jar, though be aware that these often contain cream and are not suitable for meaty dishes.
- You can prepare the chrain in advance; it keeps for about four days in the refrigerator if made with fresh ingredients, and for about two weeks with preserved horseradish sauce.
- To prepare the puree in advance, freeze after Step 5 (before adding garlic, salt and vinegar). Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and continue with the recipe, serving at room temperature. The finished puree will keep in the refrigerator for up to ten days.
- The gefilte fish can be prepared in advance and frozen for up to two weeks. Alternatively, once cooked and cooled, store in the refrigerator for up to two days.
A Sephardic Spin on Gefilte Fish
This centuries-old gefilte fish recipe from Bessarabia blends Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions.
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients
For the chrain:
- 1 beetroot, raw and finely grated
- 100 g preserved horseradish sauce (meerrettich) or 1 fresh horseradish, raw and finely grated
For the smoked eggplant puree:
- 4 eggplants
- 1 garlic clove
- salt
- 4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- vegetable oil
For the gefilte fish:
- 500 g white-fleshed fish (ideally sea bass or red sea bream with the head on)
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- oil, for frying
- 1 liter hot water
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5 whole peppercorns
- 2–3 bay leaves (optional)
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp matzah meal
- 1 egg
- fresh parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
- To make the chrain, mix the grated raw beetroot with the horseradish.
- To make the eggplant puree, preheat the oven to 180ºC. Wash and dry the eggplants, then roast them over a burner until the skin is charred, turning them as they burn.
- Once sufficiently charred, place them in the oven on a parchment-paper- lined baking sheet until tender.
- Allow to cool in a bowl to drain.
- Cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Chop the flesh finely, creating a puree by grinding it with a knife.
- Season with salt, vinegar and crushed or finely chopped garlic. Finish with a touch of vegetable oil.
- To make the gefilte fish, wash and fillet the fish, discard the bones and set the head aside.
- Dice the onions. Peel the carrots, and slice them.
- Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft. Set aside half of the onions.
- Add hot water, carrots, peppercorns, bay leaves (if using), garlic, salt and the fish head to the pan. (If you don’t have a fish head, you can skip this step.)
- While the stock is cooking, grind the fish using a knife or a grinder (electric or manual). Combine it with the remaining fried onions, egg, matzah meal and salt.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. With wet hands, shape the mixture into oval croquettes and fry them until golden brown on both sides. Put the croquetes on a paper towel to absorb the excess of oil.
- Remove the fish head from the broth and add the fish croquettes to the broth.
- Boil for 30 minutes or until most of the broth has evaporated. Serve hot with chrain or roasted aubergine puree. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Chrain, typically served with fish, consists of finely grated raw beetroot mixed with horseradish. It’s easiest to use the prepared horseradish sauce from a jar, though be aware that these often contain cream and are not suitable for meaty dishes.
- You can prepare the chrain in advance; it keeps for about four days in the refrigerator if made with fresh ingredients, and for about two weeks with preserved horseradish sauce.
- To prepare the puree in advance, freeze after Step 5 (before adding garlic, salt and vinegar). Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and continue with the recipe, serving at room temperature. The finished puree will keep in the refrigerator for up to ten days.
- The gefilte fish can be prepared in advance and frozen for up to two weeks. Alternatively, once cooked and cooled, store in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Ashkenazi
In Step 7: “discard the bones and set the head aside”.
Head is going to be used in Step 10
Why do you suggest to discard the bones?
Bones can break and stay in the soup and are a potential hazard. The head is enough to get the flavor. It can even be done just with the vegetables.
So interesting. My mother’s family was from Sirocca, Bessarabia, a formerly Jewish town. When I got a DNA test, it said I had some Turkish heritage. I always figured it was just a fluky result of the testing. Until now. I will make this fish with lots of chrain, in memory of my ancestors, Ashkenazic and Sephardic!
I learned to make the gefilte fisch from my great aunt who was from Vienna. She used different types of fisch, put them through the grinder, with the onion and the carrot. Then put eggs, matze meal, sparkling water and some oil. She cooked them in a type of consommée with parsley, carrots, onions and celery. over an hour it cooked. Nowadays everybody asks me to make it for all our Festivities!