Fish, a versatile pareve food is healthy and yummy at the same time. From gefilte fish to salmon filets, from flounder to sea bass, the preparation and flavoring possibilities are endless. Salmon is a special favorite, and gefilte fish loaves can be prepared in new and tasty ways, too. The idea is to get your family to eat healthy while tempting their tastebuds.

As the Washington State Department of Health says about fish on its website: “Eating fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients keep our heart and brain healthy…Our bodies don’t produce omega-3 fatty acids so we must get them through the food we eat. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in every kind of fish, but are especially high in fatty fish. Some good choices are salmon, trout, sardines, herring and canned light tuna.”

Here are some recipes for salmon, gefilte fish loaves, and canned salmon.

Quickie Salmon

6 appetizer-sized pieces of salmon or 1 fillet

1 tsp. Asian sesame oil

2 Tbls. soy sauce

Black pepper

¼ cup honey

Preheat the oven to 375. Arrange the salmon on a baking sheet and brush the combined ingredients over the top of it with a brush. Season with pepper. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. If you need to cook it any longer, watch it like a hawk to make sure it doesn’t overcook!

Tangy Shabbos Fish (or anytime)

2 loaves of frozen gefilte fish

⅓ cup olive oil

1 large red pepper chopped

1 large yellow pepper chopped

2 large onions chopped

1 medium package fresh mushrooms sliced

½ jar marinara sauce

Defrost frozen loaves of fish, just enough to be able to remove the parchment paper

Pour olive oil into a pan, sauté onions for about five minutes. Remove.

In the same pan, saute mushrooms and peppers for about five minutes. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Combine all vegetables in pan and add tomato sauce and let simmer five minutes. Place both loaves in a dish. Pour sauce over loaves and bake at 350 degrees for one hour covered. Let cool, serve next day.

Go-to Salmon Loaf

1 1-lb. can salmon|

3 eggs

½ cup cornflakes

1 onion diced

4 oz. mushrooms

milk

To a can of salmon (which is drained and free of bones) add eggs and corn flake crumbs. Sauté an onion and the mushrooms. Mix together and place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Add milk until it’s about ¼ inch above the salmon. Bake for 1 hour in 350-degree oven. Slice before serving. You can make this pareve by putting coffee rich or soy milk on top and serving as a Shabbos Appetizer. This is a great Thursday-night meal served with pasta or rice as well.

Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County for over 30 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman