Gluten Free Stuffed Carp

Serves 8-10

This dish is a twist on the individual portions of my childhood. I use almonds as I find them lighter than potato flour but you could use that if you wish. It looks wonderful served with the head on and this makes good jelly but many would prefer not to see the fish looking at them. It is ideal for Pesach in many Polish Ashkenazi families or indeed Rosh Hashanah in Sephardic ones. This is also a good way of using up a couple of egg yolks. The stuffing can be used as baked gefilte fish - don't boil it as will tend to fall apart in a saucepan on top of the cooker.

Ask your fishmonger to fillet it for you into 2 fillets and ask for the bones. The night before you intend to cook it soak the carp in clean water - this helps remove the muddy flavour sometimes associated with it.

Stock
1 small carrot, 1 bay leaf, 4-5 peppercorns, 2 sprigs of thyme (lemon if available), the fish bones, 250ml (approx 8 fl oz) water.

Place all the above in a pan on the hob, bring to boil and simmer for ten minutes, pass through a sieve. Keep the liquor and throw the rest.

1 carp weighing about 2kg (4½ lb) cleaned and filleted and
2 carrots
Bulb of fennel

Stuffing

500g (1lb) chopped fish
50g (2oz) carrot - grated
50g (2oz) raisins (optional)
2 sprigs fresh dill or 1 tsp of dried
Zest and juice of a lemon or an orange
100g (4oz) ground almonds (almond meal)
1 spring onion (scallion)
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
Seasoning
2 egg yolks.

Grate the carrot and the ginger into a large mixing bowl. Chop the onion and add to this together with all the other stuffing ingredients. Mix together. If you feel the mix is too tight then add a little of the stock. You want a mix that’s damp but holds it’s shape when rolled into a small ball.

Take a baking dish (preferably which has a lid) which is large enough to accommodate the fish, pour in the stock.

Slice the fennel and place a layer on the bottom of the dish. Lay half the fish on top of this, skin side down, cover with the fish stuffing mix. If there is too much then keep excess to one side. Place second fillet on top. If you have any remaining "stuffing" roll into balls and place round the sides & near the ends. Slice and add the carrots. Put the lid on and cook for about 45 minutes in a preheated oven at 170ºC Fan, 190ºC 375ºF, Gas Mark 5.

Good Hot or Cold

Baked Stuffed Carp