The traditional preparation for gefilte fish. Photo: joshbousel, Flickr
Gefilte fish, which traditionally graces Passover tables, is a dish equally adored and derided for its staunchly mellow flavor. The mix of ground carp – or other cheap, white-fleshed fish -- onions and matzo meal got its start as a stuffing, but long ago morphed into a patty preparation. While the fish is typically boiled with carrots and celery, even gefilte fish lovers admit the taste is subtle, which is why many eaters pound all the horseradish they can into their servings.
But Rustika Café owner Leo Reznick goes one better, spiking his gefilte fish with hot peppers. "The green pepper strips adorning this gefilte fish were actually jalapeños rajas, and they were hot as hell in August," Walsh reported in the Houston Press. "Why had I never heard of Mexican gefilte fish before? The spicy/fishy flavor slowly percolated through my flavor memory, shattering my Passover preconceptions."








