Gefilte Fish Broth

[schmoozer]

My GF bought a jar of gefilte fish in a jelled broth.  She is a very frugal lady and wanted to know what use there might be for the broth.  My response was to shrug my shoulders, and then I thought that the wide and varied number of people here at Chef Talk might have some ideas.  So, any thoughts on uses for the broth?

Thanks!

 

[boar_d_laze]

Fill a pitcher with one bottle each Manischewitz Cream Malaga, Rose's Lime Juice, and gefilte fish broth. 

Muddle some mint leaves and sugar at the bottom of a tall glass (a "chimney" would be perfect).  Add 1 tbs of Fox's U-Bet Chocolate syrup and an ounce of milk.  Stir furiously to combine.

Fill the glass with chipped ice.  Then add the mix from the pitcher 'til about half way up.  Finally, top with fresh seltzer and stir again. 

Kam-pei

BDL

 

[mikelm]

Now, THAT is a completely surreal recipe if I ever heard one.  /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif

I'm afraid I will lie awake tonight, just thinking about it.

Maybe another vodka martini will help me sleep.

Mike   /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif

Or two...

No wonder he's a former chef. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif

 

[mikelm]

Pretty funny, actually.

Does it express your belief that that there's not much that can be done with gefillte fish juice?

Mike  /img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif

 

[mezzaluna]

You can simmer fresh fish in it. Add it to a fish mousse.  You can freeze it and make a sort of granita. (That was one interesting adventure in my mom's kitchen when I was a child!)
Does it have any semblance to fish fume? If so, you could poach fish or vegetables in it.

 

[boar_d_laze]

I suppose you could classify it as a fumet, but it's pretty intense for that -- and way past a court buillon.  You could cut it with some water, I suppose.  The problem with most broth from bottled gefilte fish is that the manufactuer boiled it, so it often carries a little bittnerness. 

Other than just saucing the gefilte fish quenelles, It's highest use is probably as an aspic gelee garnish -- clarified with a raft, mixed with a little gelatin, chilled, and cut into decorative shapes. It typically has enough protein that without any additions, it will gell with a little chilling.  You won't get it really brilliant without clarifying it though.

If you're doing seder for the gonsom mishpucha it's worth making your own gefilte fish -- and probably then and only then going through the work to make a proper aspic.  Otherwise, my sense of proportion (twisted though it may be) tells me to buy gefilte fish on sale while they're reducing the old Passover stock, and just use the broth as is.

BDL

 

[chefross]

I suppose you could classify it as a fumet, but it's pretty intense for that -- and way past a court buillon.  You could cut it with some water, I suppose.  The problem with most broth from bottled gefilte fish is that the manufactuer boiled it, so it often carries a little bittnerness. 

Other than just saucing the gefilte fish quenelles, It's highest use is probably as an aspic gelee garnish -- clarified with a raft, mixed with a little gelatin, chilled, and cut into decorative shapes. It typically has enough protein that without any additions, it will gell with a little chilling.  You won't get it really brilliant without clarifying it though.

If you're doing seder for the gonsom mishpucha it's worth making your own gefilte fish -- and probably then and only then going through the work to make a proper aspic.  Otherwise, my sense of proportion (twisted though it may be) tells me to buy gefilte fish on sale while they're reducing the old Passover stock, and just use the broth as is.

BDL

Gee Chef if MY family were coming for Passover Seder they would expect homemade gefilte fish, and freshly ground horseradish dyed with beet juice to go with them. The house smells for days afterwards

 

[chefedb]

It can be used as a base for a fish chowder. It can also be used to make a seafood picthard. Sought of a head cheese type dish only with seafood, hard cooked egg, piemento etc. You add more gelatin let set then cut into diamond like pieced and sprinkle with paprika on a bed of lettuce. I do not use the stuff in the jar as all it is is a matzo meal souffle. I make the fresh stuff., and have one of my kitchen men gas mask on grate fresh horseradish root.

 

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by Chefross  

Gee Chef if MY family were coming for Passover Seder they would expect homemade gefilte fish, and freshly ground horseradish dyed with beet juice to go with them. The house smells for days afterwards

Your comment is poorly taken.  Look again and you should see I said:  

If you're doing seder for the gonsom mishpucha it's worth making your own gefilte fish.

[Emphasis added, but sadly not soon enough.]  [And, for those not in the know, mishpucha is Yiddish for "family."]

On a side note, in my family beet juice in horse radish is restricted to the few children, the senescent, and those without nor seeking graduate degrees.  The rest of us go with the real deal. 

I suppose it's also worth adding that, in fact, I don't believe making decent fish quenelles is much trouble at all, which at bottom, is all that "gefilte fish" are; on the other hand, the full-on Yiddisheh version is a much larger PITA precisely because making an fish aspic that gleams with purity, holds together, and doesn't smell bad is always a PITA.

Reading is fun,

BDL

 

[chefedb]

BDL I have been cooking for over 45 years and besides myself, you are the only one who I ever heard refer to Gifilte fish as quenelles which is 100% correct. Gifilte fish as you probably know used to be a fish mousse of kind ,stuffed back into a real de-boned fish,head and skin  on wrapped in cheesecloth and poached in and oval fish cooker.. I don't think anyone does it like that anymore.The term Gifilte fish itself means stuffed fish.

 

[boar_d_laze]

Ed, Can't say I'm ever surprised when we have similar takes on things. 

I don't think anyone stuffs the skin anymore either -- too easy to use one of those fish shaped molds or a terrine and call it pate.  Or wrap in cling wrap and call it sausage.  A little bit of Jimmy Deanstean in every bite.

BDL

 

[binky]

Hi, in the process now of making my second annual from scratch gefilte fish. Made a test batch two days ago and didn't get the aspic. Can't remember what I used to do (55+), how did I made the aspic before? - certainly never used gelatin - always got an aspic (so did my Mom). It just sorta happened. Made a broth out of the fish bones and veggies, strained it and used that strained broth to gently boil the fish when it was ready to cook. Arranged fish in serving bowl, poured the same broth over it, refrigerated all together and 'POOF' gefilte fish in aspic. Okay so it wasn't absolutely stiff aspic but it was jelly. Been doing it for years. Not yesterday though. Can't figure out what went wrong. Any clues?