Passover celebrates the Jewish post-slavery exodus from Egypt. The holiday begins on the 15th day of the month of Nissan, which typically falls in March or April, and lasts seven or eight nights, dependent on different Jewish sects. Because the Jews fled without warning and thus had no time to let their bread rise, throughout the holiday no leavening of any sort can be eaten.

A Seder, which retells the Passover story with symbolic gestures throughout the meal, is held on the first night. While modern Passover menus comprise many types of unleavened food, traditional Passover dishes include matzoh, matzoh brie–a mix of matzoh and eggs, matzoh kugel–a matzoh casserole, charoset–a mixture of apples, nuts, and wine, charin–horseradish, and gefilte fish, a fish meatball. While the recipe presented below is more traditional, this gefilte fish would be excellent with the addition of curry paste and lemongrass or smoked paprika and hot sauce.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb skinless, boneless salmon fillets
1/2 lb skinless, boneless red snapper or tilapia fillets
1/2 lb skinless, boneless cod fillets
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4-1/2 cup matzoh meal
1/4 cup ice water
2 cups fish stock

Instructions:
1. Boil fish stock in slow cooker (or bring to a boil on stove and transfer to a slow cooker).

2.. Place onion and 1 1/2 carrots in a large food processor. Grind. Scrape down side, add spices, and pulse. Add fish, and pulse until fully ground.

3. Turn fish mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs. Mix thoroughly with a fork. Add ice water. Mix. Starting with 1/4 cup, add matzoh meal a bit at a time until mixture can bind into balls.

4. Shape fish into palm-sized, oval balls. Gently drop into hot stock. Add the remaining 1/2 carrot. Simmer for two hours. To serve, slice the remaining carrot, place the fish onto a dry plate, and top with a carrot slice.

© 2012, Lauren Capitani. All rights reserved.

More Great Stuff You'll Love:

10 Things Not to Say to Parents of Multilingual Children Have you been guilty of any of these?

Around the World in One Semester Welcome to our newest blogger--a world traveling, homeschooling mom--to the InCultureParent family!

Why African Toddlers Don't Have Tantrums The secret revealed of why African babies don't melt down like Western ones.

Si­, Yes: Raising Bilingual Twins Language acquisition in three-and-a-half year old, bilingual twins.

1. Passover Craft: Seder Placemat | InCultureParent   |  Tuesday, 27 March 2012 at 2:48 pm

   [...] and also discusses how to properly perform a Seder and Passover dinner. And check out here for the perfect Passover recipe for gefilte fish. No comments PRINT [...]

2. Gefilte Fish Recipe - The Squishable Baby   |  Tuesday, 26 March 2013 at 4:27 pm

   [...] to make a traditional food – so we made Gefilte Fish!  Thank goodness for Stephanie at InCultureParent.  She had the perfect [...]