Sephardic Fish Balls Recipes

SEPHARDIC CHICKEN SOUP WITH SOFRITO AND HERBED MATZO BALLS

Steps:

• To make the matzo balls, bring a large pot of salted water or chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Whisk the eggs, oils, chicken fat, water, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, add the matzo meal and sift in the baking powder. Mix together, then fold into the eggs. Cover with plastic wrap, pressed tightly against the batter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Moisten your hands lightly with water and form the matzo mixture into 24 walnut-sized balls. Carefully drop the matzo balls into the water or broth. Reduce the heat to medium and partially cover. Simmer gently until the matzo balls are cooked through, about 40 minutes. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to a large bowl of cold water.
• Meanwhile, make the soup. Bring the chicken pieces and stock to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the soup. Remove and discard the skin, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and reserve the meat until service. Return the remaining bones back to the broth and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more to further develop the soup's flavor.
• While the soup is simmering, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, red and green peppers, cilantro, garlic and saffron. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables in the sofrito are tender, but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the hot sauce, if using. Set the sofrito aside.
• When ready to serve, strain the soup and discard the bones. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the sofrito and chicken pieces. Add the matzo balls and simmer until the matzo balls are heated through, about 5 minutes. (The soup and matzo balls can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.)
• Ladle the soup, along with sofrito, chicken and matzo balls into bowls and serve hot, with an optional drizzle of the additional melted chicken fat (schmaltz).

SEPHARDIC FISH BALLS

Steps:

• Place the fish, garlic, pepper, coriander, salt, cumin, and turmeric in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth.
• Put the challah in a bowl with a cup of water and soak. If using matzo meal just add to the mixture with the eggs. Drain throroughly, add along with the eggs to the fish, and process until smooth.
• Soften the saffron in the remaining tablespoon of water, then add that with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and the lemon juice to the fish and process until smooth.
• Cover the pureed fish mixture and put in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Shape the fish into balls the size of a walnut. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the fish balls on all sides.
• When brown, cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Eat either immediately or at room temperature.

CURRIED FISH BALLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange fish fillets in a baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice. Cover with foil and set baking dish inside a bigger oven-proof pan filled halfway with water. Poach in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove, cool, and flake fish.
• Whisk the egg with the salt and pepper. Sift in the garbanzo flour, whisking until smooth.
• Add the flaked fish, chilies, onion, and bread crumbs to batter. Stir well until a stiff past forms. Break off pieces and form into about 20 small balls. Heat oil in skillet and fry in batches until evenly browned. Drain and keep warm.
• Sauce: Heat the ghee or oil and fry onion and garlic for 5 minutes, until soft. Add all spices and cook 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and bring to boil. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the fish balls, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve with rice.

FISH BALLS

Steps:

• Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook fish in the hot skillet until almost completely cooked through, turning as needed, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer fish to a bowl and flake with a fork. Add mashed potatoes, green onions, egg, flour, and Creole seasoning. Mix thoroughly. Add panko, a tablespoon at a time, as needed to firm up balls. Form mixture into small balls or patties.
• Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Deep-fry fish balls, working in batches, in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes per batch.