The Jewish love of fish goes back to ancient times. With kosher meat not always available, fish became an important staple of the Jewish diet. In Eastern Europe it was a luxury reserved for the Sabbath. As fish is not considered meat, it can also be eaten with dairy products (although some Sefardim do not mix fish and dairy). Even though fish is intrinsically parve (neither meat nor dairy), when fish and meat are served at the same meal, Orthodox Jews will eat them during separate courses, and wash (or replace) the dishes in between. Gefilte fish and lox are popular in Jewish cuisine.
Gefilte fish (filled fish) was traditionally made by cutting fish into parts. The bones were taken out, the skin removed, and the flesh chopped fine and mixed with eggs, salt, pepper, and onions. This mass is then replaced in the skin, dropped into fish broth and simmered. Modern preparations omit the skin, making quenelles. While traditionally made with carp, gefilte fish is made in other countries according to what sort of fish is available, including cod, haddock, or hake in the United Kingdom, carp or pike in France, or whitefish in the United States. Polish gefilte fish is particularly noted for being sweetened, an unusual flavoring in other eastern European Jewish communities.
