Gourmet Foods

• 2 pounds whitefish
• 2 pounds pike
• 2 pounds winter carp
• 5 onions
• 2 quarts water
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons pepper
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup ice water
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons matzo or cracker meal
• 3 carrots, sliced

Have the fish filleted but reserve the head, skin and bones. You may use any combination of fresh water fish although this combination is most popular.

Combine head, skin, bones, and 4 sliced onions with 1 quart of water, 2 teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper.

Cook over high heat while preparing the fish.

Grind the fish and remaining onion. Place in a chopping bowl and add the eggs, water, sugar, meal and remaining salt and pepper. Chop until very fine; this is important for fluffy fish. Moisten hands; shape mixture into balls.

Carefully drop into the fish stock. Add the carrots. Cover loosely and cook for the last half hour. Taste to correct seasoning. Cool the fish slightly before removing to a bowl or platter. Strain the stock over it, and arrange carrots around it. Chill. Serve with horseradish.

You can serve 12 people generously but the fish keeps for a few days.

• ¼ cup salad oil
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 6 slices pike, whitefish, or salmon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 lemons, sliced thin
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 bay leaf

Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Brown the onions in it. Arrange the fish over the onions and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, lemon slices, water, vinegar, sugar, and bay leaf. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 slices whitefish or pike
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a skillet. Brown the onions, then arrange the fish over them. Sprinkle with the paprika, salt and pepper. Add the water. Cook over low heat 45 minutes. Stir in the sour cream into the sauce. Taste to correct seasoning and serve hot. Serves 4.

• ½ cup salad oil
• 6 slices carp, pike or whitefish
• 3 teaspoons salt
• ¾ teaspoons pepper
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 package frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
• 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 onions, sliced
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Heat the oil in a baking pan. Sprinkle the fish with half the salt and pepper and place in the pan. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mixed vegetables, potatoes, onions, garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Cover. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 40 minutes, removing the cover for the last 15 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup seedless raisins
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 slices whitefish, pike or salmon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups water
• 6 gingersnaps, crushed
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup sliced blanched almonds

Combine the onions, lemon slices, brown sugar, raisins, bay leaf, fish, salt and water in a sauce pan. Cover and cook over low heat 25 minutes. Transfer fish to a platter.

Add the gingersnaps, vinegar and almonds to the fish stock. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour over the fish. Serve warm or cold. Serves 6.

• 3 pounds halibut or pike fillets
• 1 onion
• 2 slices white bread soaked in water
• ½ cup water
• 2 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons salad oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce

Grind the fish and onion. Transfer to a chopping bowl and add the soaked bread squeezed dry, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the egg. Chop until fine and smooth. Shape into 12 balls.

Combine the oil, sliced onions, green pepper, tomato sauce and remaining salt and pepper in a baking dish.

Arrange the balls into it.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. Baste frequently. Serves 6.

• 4 onions, sliced
• 6 slices pike
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons pickling spice
• 2 bay leaves

Combine 2 sliced onions, the pike, salt, pepper and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat 25 minutes.

Carefully remove the fish and place in a bowl or jar alternating in layers with the remaining 2 sliced onions.

Mix the vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and bay leaves with the fish stock. Bring to a boil and pour over the fish. Cover and let pickle in the fridge for 2 days before serving. Serves 6 and will keep for two weeks.