It is common knowledge that Jews should usher in the Sabbath with a little bit of fish. But in the village in Poland from which Danielle’s mother hailed, they often could not get carp in the winter, because the lake was frozen. The story goes that the Jews thought they could make an arrangement with God to create falshe fish (Yiddish for “fake fish”). So they made meat patties, shaped in ovals or balls, depending on the family tradition, and simmered them in a broth with salt, sugar, pepper, and a little carrot, so they would look and taste like sweet-and-sour gefilte fish. “Because the intentions were good, the benevolent God agreed with the Jews and said that he would make believe that it was fish,” said Danielle. (In this recipe, sugar is used as a seasoning, as it was in past centuries.)

　　

Ingredients

15 meatballs

　　1/2 pound ground veal

　　1/4 pound ground beef

　　2 large eggs

　　2 heaping tablespoons matzo meal

　　1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

　　2/3 cup sugar

　　1/2 onion, peeled and finely diced, plus 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

　　2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds

　　Horseradish for garnish

　　

Step 1

Gently mix together the veal, beef, eggs, matzo meal, salt, pepper, 5 tablespoons of the sugar, and the diced onion in a mixing bowl.

　　

Step 2

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. When the water boils, add the chopped onion and the carrots. Season with salt to taste and the remaining sugar.

　　

Step 3

Dip your hands into cold water, and shape the meat mixture into fifteen little rounds the size of Ping-Pong balls. Slip them into the boiling water, and simmer, half covered, for about 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature with horseradish, as you would gefilte fish.

　　Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous