Fish cakes with Chrein in Polish-Jewish style

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 ½ kg carp
• 1 m.-large onion(s), peeled, sliced
• 1 m.-sized carrot(s), peeled, sliced
• 2 eggs, size S
• 1 egg(s), size S, hard-boiled
• 1 slice(s) of bread (matzo) for Passover or bread for Shabbat
• 2 tbsp flour (matzo meal) for Passover or breadcrumbs for Shabbat
• salt and pepper
• 1 ½ tbsp sugar
• 3 liters of water
• 1 piece(s) celeriac, peeled and washed
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 black peppercorns
• 3 allspice berries
• 2 m.-sized carrot(s), peel and cut into diagonal slices
• 2 medium-sized onions, peeled and left whole
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt
• 4 large beetroots, fresh
• 150 g horseradish, grated
• ½ lemon(s), the juice
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup stock (beetroot stock from cooking)

Instructions

Working time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 day 6 hours

for Shabbat and holidays, served cold with chale or matzo and chrein (beetroot salad)

Clean, scale, and fillet the fish, leaving the skin on. Separate the head from the body and remove the gills and eyes. Prepare the vegetables for the broth. Peel, wash, and chop the celery and onions, and place them in a large pot. Rinse the fish head, without the eyes and gills, and the large bone thoroughly and place them in the large pot next to the vegetables. Add 3 liters of water and the spices for the broth. Bring the broth to a boil, then simmer on very low heat for 2 hours. Meanwhile, soak the matzo slices or 1 slice of bread in water and then squeeze them dry. Put the fish fillet, skin on and boneless, together with 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 hard-boiled egg, and squeezed matzo or bread, through the meat grinder twice, once through the large holes and a second time through the smaller holes. Place everything in a large bowl. Add eggs, sugar, salt, ground pepper, and matzo meal or breadcrumbs and knead everything well. Cover well and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Then, for the broth, cut the carrot into diagonal 1/2 cm thick slices and add them to the pot. Remove the fish mixture from the refrigerator. Form a test meatball and cook in the broth. Taste and season the fish mixture with additional spices if necessary. Form the mixture into oval meatballs and place them in the broth. Simmer for 1.5 hours, half-covering the pot. Let the oval meatballs cool in the broth, otherwise they will fall apart. Place them in a glass dish while still cold and pour the broth over them. It will set until the next day. Place a diagonal carrot slice on each meatball. Chrein: Peel, wash, and quarter the beets, place them in a pot and fill with water. Add a little fresh lemon juice and cook until the water boils. Reduce heat and simmer until the beets are tender. Remove from the water and chill. Allow the beetroot water to cool as well. Grate the cold beetroot with a medium-fine grater. Place in a bowl. Add the horseradish and spices, along with some of the beetroot cooking liquid. Mix well and season to taste. Store in a lidded jar and serve with the fresh meatballs.