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[Shoesy]

Gitte - I think I'd also like that fried fishy thing of yours too.

[Jody]

That sounds like deli gefilte fish...I grind my fish in a food processor and don't use much matzoh meal...they float right off the plate!! I don't like most gefilte fish either but I do like mine.

[Anne]

I have never had gefillte fish, but I saw some jars of it in the deli section of my supermarket, and it didn't look at all like Gitte's fiskefrikadeller (though there is so much jelly in the jars that it is a bit hard to see through ...) . Anyway, I am sure that I would love those frikadeller with tartar sauce indeed (as long as they don't have to be eaten together with the hot chocolate milk ) .

Holger - Of course you are right, Lyon's area is reputed for its high number of Michelin-starred chefs, but Lyon traditional food does really include a high proportion of dishes made with animal parts (yuck !), and so I always carefully stayed aloof from it ...

[sandy]

Gitte,
Those "fiskefrikadeller" seem to be perfect for making my child eat fish. I´ll try that recipe (is that all it takes?)

I love gefilte fish, especially the one my mother makes, but I would never buy a jar of gefilte fish swimming in any kind of jelly. I don´t know what kind of gefilte fish it could be.

[Anne]

Yes Gitte, could you give us the receipe with proportions please ?

[GitteK]

OK, girls - here goes.
500 gram freshly ground white saltwater fish (cod-type)
2 teasp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small grated onion
1 large egg - or 2 egg whites
80 gram flour
1 dl. cream
2-3 dl. milk
2 tablesp. finely chopped parsley (or dill or a mix of both)

The ground fish must first be stirred with salt, then the eggs. Then flour, onion, parsley and seasoning.
It is very important that the milk/cream has the same temperature as the fish mixture - or else it can separate.

Add cream - and then milk a little of the time, while stirring energetically. The final "paste" must be quite firm, so hold back some of the milk - depending on what kind of fish you use.

Let the "paste" rest, covered, for 1 hour in a cool place.

Heat up the frying pan SLOWLY, so that the butter melts, but only till it is lightbrown. If you heat it too much, the fiskefrikadeller will collapse. Fry slowly about 5-6 minutes on each side, till lightbrown and firm. It is said to be a quite difficult task to fry them without having them collapsing - but that is of course a question of much practice. The taste is the same, anyway.

Tip:
Some people like to chop a few slices of jambon cru into tiny morcels and mix into the paste. Gives a fine spicy taste.

Some people mix white fish and fresh salmon - but I prefer the all-white type.

Some LAZY housewives such as yours truly simply go to the fishdealer and buy them readymade and warm.........mmmmmm..... we have a local fishdealer who has this outdoor fastfood-fish café, besides his shop. He is frying fiskefrikadeller ALL day from 7:00 in the morning ! Then you can have them on the terrace with tatarsauce and pommes frites, while you have a cold beer and look at the boats in the small fishing harbour - or you can take them home for lunch.

He also serves fried fish fillets, "burgers" with smoked salmon, smoked pepper-maquerel, shrimps and all other sorts of naval delicacies

[holger]

;D

Gitte,

Thanks for the recipe. Husband will try to make them. He is a great cook. But trust me, the dumplings are not like boiled fish--this just holds them and then with the nantua sauce they are wonderful. If we ever get to Lyon together we can order them and if you don't like them even washing them down with copious amounts of wine, i will eat them all.

As for gefilte fish, I never had home made so Demarais while yours sound very edible, the others were always cold and in that disgusting jell. They came out of jars in friends' kitchens and were served with horseradish which I also don't like--unless I have a cold and want to clear my sinuses.

The first time I was served quenelles, I almost did not try them although they were hot and in a sauce but after the first bite, I was hooked. Yes, pun intended.

[geordy]

Yes Gitte those fiske things do look/sound good, kind of remind me of less spicy Caribbean fish fritters or bacaloaitos(sp.)!! Which I adore!

But I like your method of procuring them...at the fish guys...better than messing with the recipe!!

I first had Quenelles here at one of the Grand Dame French Restaurants ...La Caravelle..now sadly closed like alot of the other famous NYC French places from way back. Delicious!

My time in Lyon was cut short due to a plane delay and then luggage delay which caused me to have dinner the first night in the hotel...Italian!!!! I had heard the best French chefs come from Lyon and was rather disappointed! Anyone been to Leon de Lyon? Had a great meal there several years back.

[holger]

;D

Gitte,

Checked with husband about quenelles. They are not boiled. They are poached! Big difference. Think of poached salmon versus boiled salmon. Great recipe for quenelles in Julia Child.

[Anne]

Thank you so much for the receipe Gitte, I have printed it

[sandy]

Gitte,
Thanks for the recipe, I´ll try it some day. Our most common fish here is hake (the same fish that English use for their fish & chips), will it be ok if I use it?
And what´s the address of that fast-food fish cafe? I think I have to move to Denmark!