FREDA’S FISHBALLS

Yields 15 to 18 pieces

Smoked whitefish and horseradish are used here in homage to Freda’s and Maya’s grandmothers’ gefilte fish recipes. If you are having trouble finding smoked whitefish, smoked trout may be substituted. It’s best to eat these after they are just cooked and piping-hot; once cooked, the fish will begin to firm up slightly.

1 small carrot

1 pound hake (cod can be substituted), cut into small cubes

6 ounces smoked whitefish

3 eggs

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 small shallot, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Olive oil

1 to 2 cups sunflower seed oil or vegetable oil of choice

1 cup flour

2 cups panko bread crumbs

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

1 (4-inch) piece fresh horseradish

1 recipe Homemade Mayonnaise

Cracked black pepper

Peel the carrot and cut in half. Working with one half at a time, cut the half into ¼-inch strips lengthwise. Take each strip and cut again lengthwise into ¼-inch strips. Gather all the ¼-inch strips and cut across into a very small dice, then repeat with the remaining half of the carrot.

Place the hake into a food processor. Add 1 egg, the heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon salt to the fish and process until smooth. Add the smoked whitefish and process again until combined.

Transfer the fish mixture to a large bowl, add the shallot, garlic, carrot, and parsley, and mix well.

Cover the fish mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (the mixture will firm up and be easier to handle).

While fish chills, place the flour in a large bowl, the panko in a second large bowl, and the remaining 2 eggs in a third bowl. Whisk the eggs until well combined and the color is uniform.

Remove the fish mixture from the refrigerator. Roll 1 tablespoon of the chilled fish mixture into a ball. (If you find the fish is sticking to your hands, lightly grease your hands with olive oil.) Drop it into the flour and roll to coat completely. Roll each fishball in the egg until evenly coated, and then in the panko to coat.

In a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat, heat roughly 1 to 1½ inches of sunflower seed oil. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Cook the fishballs, turning until all sides are equally golden in color, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the fishballs to a paper towel–lined plate and lightly salt to taste.

For the horseradish mayonnaise: Peel the horseradish and grate it into a small bowl using a Microplane. Add the mayonnaise and mix to combine well. Finish by adding pepper and stir again.

Serve the fishballs with the Horseradish Mayo alongside.