Gefilte fish is a delicacy in my family; my great-grandmother Freda was famous for her homemade gefilte. My mom and grandmother spent years trying to replicate her recipe, which was passed down verbally with measurements of handfuls and a bisl (“a bit”). The key to replicating the taste was in the fish itself and tasting the raw mixture before cooking. After years of trying, they were finally able to nail it down. I couldn’t make a Jewish cookbook without paying homage to this family tradition, but instead of whitefish, I made a vegan recipe using a mixture of vegetables, seaweed, and spices to mimic the flavor and textures of Freda’s gefilte.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a sheet pan with baking parchment.
• In a food processor, pulse the chopped carrot, cauliflower, parsnip, potato, and onion until they are the size of peas. Add the cashews to the food processor and pulse until well combined.
• Transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl. Add the nori, matzo meal, flax meal, 60ml (¼ cup) of the water, pepper, salt, lemon zest, potato starch, and baking powder and mix until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Using a ¼-cup measure — or by hand — form the mixture into 10 patties.
• Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the patties to the prepared sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
• Meanwhile, cut the remaining carrot into generous ½-cm (¼-inch) slices. Combine the carrots and enough water to cover by 2-cm (1 inch) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and gently cook the carrots until tender. Drain and set aside.
• Top the patties with the sliced carrot and serve with horseradish.

Note: The gefilte cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated on an aluminium foil–lined sheet pan in the oven at 200°C (400°F) until heated through.

Variation: The secret to a “fishy” flavor is the use of sushi nori. You can substitute it with 1 tbsp of dulse flakes, 2 tbsp of furikake seasoning, or 2 tbsp of kelp granules.

Substitution: If making these outside of Passover, feel free to use breadcrumbs or panko.

Extracted from NOSH: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine (The Collective Book Studio)