Gefilte Fish a la Veracruzana

For the Patties
• 1 pound red snapper fillets, no skin or bones
• 1 pound flounder fillets, no skin or bones
• 1 white onion, about 1/2 pound, quartered
• 2 carrots, about 1/4 pound, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup matzo meal
• 2 teaspoons Kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

To Prepare
Rinse the fish fillets under a thin stream of cool water. Cut into small pieces, about 2 to 3 inch, and place in the food processor. Pulse for 5 to 10 seconds until fish is finely chopped but hasnít turned into a paste. Turn fish mixture onto a large mixing bowl.

Place the onion, carrots, eggs, matzo meal, salt and white pepper in same bowl of food processor. Process until smooth and turn onto the fish mixture. Combine thoroughly with a spatula.

For Veracruz Style or Red Gefilte Fish
• 3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes of 28 oz
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
• 1 cup Manzanilla olives stuffed with Pimientos
• 6 Pepperoncini peppers in vinegar brine, chiles g¸eros en escabeche, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon capers

To Prepare
Heat the oil in a large cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, and let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent. Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot, stir, and let the mix season and thicken for about 6 minutes. Incorporate 3 cups water, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, salt, white pepper, give it a good stir and bring to a boil.

Bring the heat down to low to get a gentle simmer, as you roll the gefilte fish patties.

Place a small bowl with lukewarm water to the side of the simmering tomato broth. Start making the patties. Wet your hands as necessary, so the fish mixture will not stick to your hands. As you make them, slide them gently into the simmering broth. Make sure it is simmering though, and raise the heat to medium if necessary to keep a steady simmer as you insert the patties.

Once you finish making the patties, cover the pot and bring the heat to low. Continue cooking for about 25 minutes. Take off the lid, incorporate the Manzanilla olives, Pepperoncini peppers and capers. Give it a soft stir and simmer uncovered for 20 more minutes, until the gefilte fish is thoroughly cooked and the broth is seasoned and has thickened nicely.

You may serve it with sliced challah and pickled pickles on the side.

NOTE: If you donít want to make the gefilte fish from scratch you may buy the unsweetened frozen raw pre-prepared gefilte fish mixture sold in the freezer sections of some stores and let it cook/simmer in the tomato broth. You may also buy the already cooked gefilte fish and let it heat in the sauce. It will not be the same though...

For Traditional Style or White Gefilte Fish
• Two sets of fish heads and bones, rinsed (Ask fishmonger to save them for you!)
• 1 white onion, thickly sliced
• 2 large carrots, or 1/4 pound, peeled and diagonally sliced
• 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

To Prepare
Place the fish heads and bones, onion, carrots, salt and pepper in a large cooking pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Stir and remove the scum. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove head and most bones with a slotted spoon or tongs (my grandfatherís favorite part was the fishís headÖhe would kill me if he saw this! If you will eat the head keep it in there).

As with the Veracruz version, place a bowl with lukewarm water to the side of the pot. As you make the patties, slide them into the simmering stock. Once you finish making the patties, cover the pot, bring the heat to low and let them cook covered for 25 minutes. Take lid off and cook for 20 minutes more.

Let the gefilte fish cool a bit and place in an extended deep container along with the cooked onions and carrots and the fish stock. Once they are cool enough, cover and refrigerate.

Serve cold or room temperature with slices of challah, pickled pickles and chrein.