If there is one store I wish every Jewish community around the world would have, it would be Benz’s Gourmet. The local gourmet kosher shop is celebrating it’s 12th anniversary and we’re feasting on a special gefilte fish recipe in their honor!
Benz’s carries everything from artisan cholov yisroel cheese (imported from France!), smoked fish, caviar, beer, as well as specialty baking and gluten free products. They boast a huge olive bar and a whopping 27 varieties of herring. Whether I’m looking for a gourmet kosher product (like truffle oil), or I’m in the mood for fresh fish, I head on over to Benz’s. Thankfully, it’s just a few blocks away!
What I love about the store is that they are constantly on the lookout for new kosher products. If there is ever an item that I can’t find locally, I ask Benz’s to order it for me, and they do! Recently, I needed rosewater for an upcoming Shavuot recipe, and I couldn’t find it anywhere. I gave them a call and it was in the store just a few days later. Now that’s what I call good service!
Besides for Benz’s gourmet selection, they also carry traditional gefilte fish, a family recipe that they’ve been perfecting for over 30 years. I’m always looking to change up traditional gefilte (‘cuz reinventing traditional food is what I do best!) and Benz’s gefilte fish offers me the perfect canvas to build my hybrid recipe.
I don’t know about you, but the more I cook, the more I appreciate savory food. And the more I experiment, the more I realize that you don’t need to use a lot of sweetener in your cooking. My mom doesn’t agree, and neither does my Bubby. They’re ashkenazi food is loaded with sugar, the more the merrier.
If you ask me, sugar is just a fill-in for the absence of flavor. If you build layers of flavor and spice, there’s no need to load sugar into savory food. Look at gefilte fish – most Jewish Bubby’s cook it up in stock made of onions, carrots and celery (the good stuff!), they season to taste with salt and pepper and then they go ahead and pour a boatload of sugar into the pot. I grew up on that stuff, so I know. And don’t get me wrong, it even tastes good. So does candy.
I don’t want to carry on the sugar torch, so I’m trying to condition my kids to like savory foods. I don’t overload my salad’s with sugar, and I make spicy roasted chickpeas as a snack instead of cake. That’s not to say that my kids don’t get to pick their favorite sugary cereal as a Shabbat treat. Believe me, they have their fill of sugar. But I try. And all Bubby’s everywhere are questioning my better judgement!
Sephardic Bubby’s have been serving chraime for years. it’s a popular Moroccan dish of fish cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, and it’s usually made with white fish or salmon. I decided to shake things up by using prepared gefilte fish, ‘cuz that’s the way I roll (pun intended). I incorporated all the traditional elements of Moroccan fish here – including colored peppers, lots of garlic, parsley, lemon, and of course, harissa – a hot pepper paste that’s often used in North African cuisine. I’ve made variations of this recipe for a fish loaf as well as fried patties, but I love how these fish balls can stretch a roll of gefilte fish into so many portions. The fish balls become nice and fluffy, almost the texture of a matza balls, but with lots of spice from cumin, turmeric and fresh garlic.
As good as it is, I’m not sure my fusion cooking would win my husband’s Sephardic family over (although it did win him over, he asked for triples!). Sephardim are not fond of gefilte fish (understatement). On the flip side, try asking my Ashkenazi Bubby to eat spicy gefilte fish, I can just hear her already. Spicy gefilte fish? With harissa? What’s that? Could you pass the sugar please?! So here I am, mixing up the cultures with another one of my hybrid recipes, and I hope ya’ll will enjoy it, Ashkenazim and Sephardim alike.
1 pkg Benz’s gefilte fish, defrosted (I used no-sugar-added)
3-4 tbsp matzo meal
1 egg
3 tbsp chopped parsley
heaping 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp harissa (or, to taste)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 cups fish or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
In a bowl, mix the fish, matzo meal, parsley, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and egg. Place in the frige while you prepare the sauce.
Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, carrots and peppers and sauté until softened. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, harissa, lemon, stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Form the gefilte fish mixture into small balls and slowly add to the sauce. Don’t overcrowd the sauce, if there isn’t a lot of room, wait for the fish balls to set before moving them around to make more space for additional balls. Reduce heat and simmer until balls are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve hot with additional parsley for garnish.
NOTE: You may add a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey to the sauce if you wish.
VARIATION: Fish balls have more of a fluffy matza ball texture. If you want something more dense, you may fry up the gefilte fish into patties instead. Make the sauce without the stock, adding only as needed and serve over the patties.
This post is sponsored by Benz’s Fish. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or at BenzsFish.com. And don’t forget to visit Benz’s Gourmet at 332 Albany Ave in Brooklyn.
Related Recipes:
gefilte fish patties in tomato sauce
breaded gefilte fish patties
gefilte fish, three ways
Hi, thank you so much for posting this recipe, I would love to try it for Shabbat. I have a question about “Benz’s gefilte fish(I used no-sugar-added)”. Is there no sugar at all or is there a sugar substitute. My family and I do not like sweet fish (sorry), so I usually make mine from scratch. I have never tried “Benz’s gefilte fish no-sugar-added”. If it is on a sweeter side, how would you suggest I adjust the recipe to make it from scratch/ Thank you
Hi Ailuy, there is no sugar and no sugar substitute. I don’t find the fish to be sweet in the slightest s I think it will work for you.
You read my mind! I just saw a recipe for moroccan white fish in a similar sauce and was wondering whether gefilte fish would work…so glad you came up with this! Any idea whether freezing the recipe would work?
Hi Aliza, I have never frozen gefilte fish before, so I couldn’t say. Let me know how it works out if you do.
Hi, These sound delicious! Do you think they could be served cold? Thank you
Hi Elisheva,
I think they could be served cold, but would probably better at room temperature. Just take them out like 2 hours before serving.
These look great
I was just curious, does the Harissa add a lot of heat to the fish? I’m not into very spicey. Can I maybe substitute it for something else?
Hi Rachel, it is a twist on Moroccan fish so it’s supposed to be spicy. That being said, the harissa also adds a depth of flavor to the sauce, so without it, it might be a little blah. I would say, just start with a teaspoon, I’m sure you can handle that.
Where would one find kosher harissa? or what can I substitute for it? Thanks!
Hi Dvora, you can look in the refrigerated section near the hummus, or near the canned sauces. I’ve seen it sold both ways. If you can’t find harissa, you can substitute with red schug, available in the refrigerator section as well.
OMG!!! it was so so good!
I’m so glad you liked them Rach!
tried these last Yomtov , using prefried ( bought) fishballs. Got raving reviews :-) ! Although I used a simpler version of the sauce , as well, being pressed for time – principle the same, preparation made as simple as possible , left it on platta , was very nice for Shabbat lunch .
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I actually made fried fish patties with the sauce and we enjoyed it as well!
I was scrolling by & I thought these were meatballs, but instead they’re even better, fish balls! :) Great recipe!
We can call use a change from boring old meatballs, right?
Can I make ahead and freeze?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work.
Hi! I’ve been wanting to make this ever since you posted the recipe!! I’m making it for RH – if I’m using 2 loaves of fish do I need to double the sauce recipe too?
Hi Sossie, it really depends how saucy you like it, but I think you should probably be ok without doubling the sauce. Let me know how it goes!
Hey! Can I substitute with fresh fish but use the same recipe? If yes what kind and how much? Thanks
Hi Shayna. Store-bought gefilte fish has added flavors and fillers so fresh fish cannot be substituted equally. If you’d like, you can adapt the recipe by coating fresh fish fillets in the spices and herbs. Then prepare the sauce (without the added stock) and pour it over the fish. Cook until the fish is flaky.
Sounds delicious. I love the idea of using ready made gefilte fish. What is the weight of the fish on the package?
Thanks Wendy! It’s 20oz.
I made these as in he recipe and they were so good! I would like to try it though as patties. Would I fry the fish sliced as is, or would I make the fish mixture and then shape into patties and fry? Thanks!
I would make the mixture, shape into patties and fry. Let me know how you like it!
Hi, these looked really good so i tried them. I doubled the recipe and it came out rubbery :(
Oh wow, so sorry to hear this! What company fish did you use? This is one of my most popular recipes on the blog and no one ever told me that!
I actually used Bentzi brand! Don’t know what went wrong…
There’s nothing in the recipe that would make them rubbery, it has to be the fish. I was just in the store and I asked them about it. Did you use their Passover fish by any chance? They said that maybe the potato starch could cause that…
I have a leftover roll of Passover gefilte fish in my freezer (not Benz-a different brand) and was thinking of making this recipe to use it up. Do you think it won’t work?
Sure, any brand should work, kosher for Passover or not. Depending on the consistency of the fish, it may need a bit more or less matza meal.
Absolutely awesome recipe!!! Fabulous! Just made it!
Right up my alley… my kids looooved it!
Yay!!! So happy to hear!
Can I make this w salmon?
You mean ground salmon?
No. I mean salmon slices. I’m looking for a Moroccan salmon recipe.
No this recipe would not work for salmon slices, sorry!
being Hungarian from all sides of the family, Spices like cumin and turmeric was not in the lexicon. I took the gamble omitted the Harissa spice. Were all hooked. This was just a try out made from 2lbs ground fish and not a morsel left!! the sauce was being scraped out of the pot!
This is exactly what I hoped for with this recipe!! Fusing ashkenazic and sephardic cuisine!
Outstanding!! We used left over sauce for Shakshuka. Use non sweetened gefilte fish.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
We don’t have a kosher store nearby…could I use the jarred gefilte fish balls instead? I love the thought of making something for Passover that isn’t the plain gefilte fish! Thanks!
Hi, Chanie. This recipe sounds great. I have been wanting to try chraime for a while. This variation is something I am considering making for Pesach.
My question is: do you think I can make this ahead from the frozen loaves and then freeze?
Hi! Love this recipe. Making for the second time. I don’t have matzah meal, what else can I use? Almond flower? Oats? Breadcrumbs? Thanks :)
breadcrumbs would work great.
These were awful my morrocan husband said” what is this ashkenaz crap” no offense . you can’t cook a morrocan man fish balls out of gefilte fish it’s unacceptable. Wish it would have been good sounded easy went in garbage.
I have to agree with you on that Sara, you can’t get a Moroccan man to eat gefilte fish. You can, however, get an ashkenazi to spice up their gefilte fish with Moroccan flavors.
Did you ever just put a whole loaf of gefilta into the sauce instead of making balls? Think that would work?
I have never tried that but you would need to keep it in the parchment paper if you want to try it.
i can’t find harissa in my grocery stores – what can be used instead? i have in the house hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, or habenero. Would any of these work?
Hi Brooke! Harissa is a North African chili paste. Not really interchangeable with any of those to be honest.
I’m going to try the sauce part of this recipe with ground branzino that I have, the last time I tried to make fish balls my sauce failed, I’m hoping to redeem myself this shabbat! Thanks for the post!
Wishing you lots of luck!
My gefilte fish mixture isn’t setting up to roll it into balls.
The mixture is quite mushy, that’s normal. It helps to make your hands wet when rolling or use a mini scoop to portion out the balls.
How do you cook the sauce? I didn’t see any instructions. Do you just throw all the sauce ingredients together into a pot? Do the vegetables need to be sauteed first? Please let me know.
I’m not sure what you mean, the instructions for preparing the sauce are written clearly in the recipe.
Hey,
I keep coming back to this recipe bc we all love it.
Thanks 🙏🏼
Just made this recipe and we loved it!!
Yayyyyy!!!