Gefilte Fish and Horseradish Mold
Making this recipe means you don't have to have those 20 glass plates with a leaf of lettuce, piece of carrot, and ball of gefilte fish, precariously balancing on top of each other in your refrigerator taking up room. It also takes less time to serve, since it can be prepared on one platter that can be passed.
Ingredients
2 jars (24 ounce each) prepared gefilte fish balls
3-ounce box of lemon gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup jarred fish broth, heated in a microwave for 1 minute
6-ounce jar of red horseradish, drained of excess liquid
1 carrot, sliced and cooked for garnish (optional)
2 scallions or chives for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Place the gefilte fish (sans liquid) in a large, shallow casserole or rimmed serving dish.
- Put the lemon gelatin in a medium sized bowl. Add boiling water and stir for about 2 minutes, until it has dissolved. Add the fish broth and horseradish. Stir until well blended.
- Pour the liquid mixture around the gefilte fish pieces, reserving 1⁄4 cup if you are garnishing the gefilte fish.
- To garnish the fish with a decorative flower, slice the carrot into 1⁄8-inch circles and use a tiny flower-shaped cutter or a knife to shape each circle. If you wish to create a stem for your carrot flower, cut 1⁄8 inch wide x 2 inch long, slightly curved strips from the green part of a scallion or fresh chive. Set aside.
- Cook the carrots in boiling salted water for 10 minutes until tender. Drain.
- Lightly dip the bottoms of the carrot flowers in the reserved horseradish mixture and place atop the gefilte fish. Do the same with the scallion or chive strips so that they resemble leaves. Chill. Serve when firm.
Additional Notes
- When using gelatin, avoid introducing very acidic foods, as they can impede the gelatin from firming. This is why recipes calling for pineapple never tell you to use fresh. The vinegar in the horseradish can have the same effect.
Tina Wasserman is the Jewish Cooking Expert for ReformJudaism.org and the author of Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora. Have a question about this or any of Tina's recipes? Ask the Chef.
