Ask Tina: Can I substitute fillets for whole fish when I cook gefilte fish?

Tina Wasserman

Q: I am thinking about making your gefilte fish recipe for Rosh HaShanah. I have made it in the past so I am not gun shy about using the whole fish. But, if I can locate the fish, I may decide to use fillets. Your recipe calls for 4 pounds of whole fish.  If I use fillet instead, how many pounds of fillet do I need?

A: Four pounds of whole fish is equal to approximately 2 pounds fillet. Make sure you get a fattier fish and a lean fish. Snapper and flounder, or tilapia or cod are good choices, with cod and snapper being the fattier fish.

 

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Tina Wasserman
Tina Wasserman

Tina Wasserman (she/her) is the author of Entrée to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora and Entrée to Judaism for Families and is a visiting lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout the country. She serves on the boards of ARZA and URJ Camp Newman, and is a member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, TX. Her recipes can be found at Cooking and More and throughout ReformJudaism.org, where she serves as food editor. Tina can be reached for congregational and organizational events through her website.

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