40 | MARCH 31 • 2022 

serve. Reheat in the 
microwave and serve 
warm. Makes 8 or more 
for servings. 

KEFTES DE PESCADA 
(Sephardic Fish Patties)
For variety, replace the fish 
with fresh cooked spinach 
(well drained) and serve 
with a wedge of lemon. 

Ingredients
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil 
1 cup chopped onion 
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 can (28-ounces) diced toma-
toes in juice or 4 cups fresh 
chopped plum tomatoes 
2 bay leaves 
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
to taste 
½ cup fresh chopped basil
Fresh chopped parsley, garnish 
 

Patties: 
2 pounds skinned and boned 
cod (salmon or whitefish)
ground or chopped in a food 
processor 
1 cup finely chopped onions 
2 eggs
2 cups matzah meal 
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper 
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Vegetable oil for frying
1-2 cups matzah meal (to coat 
fish patties)

LEMON CHICKEN 

Ingredients
Boneless and skinless chicken 
breast halves, about 2 pounds
Matzah cake meal (for dredging 
chicken) start with 1 cup 
Olive oil for sautéing chicken
½-1 bottle white wine (any kind)
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of up to 2 lemons
Chopped parsley, garnish (at 
the last minute)
Optional: Artichoke hearts (not 
marinated), capers, slivered 
almonds as garnish, sliced 
mushrooms

Directions 
Pound chicken breasts 
slightly to make them 
more or less the same 
thickness throughout, or, 

if breasts are large, slice 
through them horizontally 
making two halves for 
each breast half. Dredge 
the chicken pieces in the 
matzah cake meal and 
coat well.
Heat oil, about ¼ cup or 
more, in a large non-stick 
skillet over medium heat. 
Sauté the chicken breasts 
(you’ll need to do this a 
few times if you have a lot 
of breasts) on each side 
until they are light golden. 
Remove and set aside to 
finish remaining breasts 
(you may need more 
matzah cake meal).
After all the breasts 
have been cooked, 
place them back in the 
pan. Pour wine over the 

breasts and cook until the 
wine mixture is reduced 
and makes a thickened 
sauce. 
At this point, you could 
put this away until the 
next day or later the 
same day (place in glass 
baking dish in fridge). 
Or, serve right away with 
juice sprinkled on top and 
garnished with artichokes, 
etc. If keeping to serve 
later, 1 hour before serv-
ing, place in 250ºF oven 
with garnish ingredients 
(except parsley) and heat 
through. You may need 
to add more liquid if the 
sauce has become too 
thick. Wine or chicken 
broth will do.

Directions
Make sauce: Heat oil in 
a medium saucepan over 
medium-high heat until 
hot. Add the onions and 
garlic and cook, stirring 
often, for 5 minutes. Add 
the tomatoes, bay leaves, 
salt and pepper and 
bring to a boil. Reduce 
heat and simmer for 15 
minutes. Adjust season-
ings to taste and add 
basil. Keep warm until 
ready to serve or chill 
and reheat. 
Combine cod, onions, 
egg, matzah meal, salt 
and pepper in a medi-
um bowl and mash well 
with your hands until the 
mixture is uniform. Cover 
with plastic wrap and 
chill for 2 or more hours 
(up to overnight). 
Heat about ¼-inch of 
oil in a large, nonstick 
skillet over medium-high 
heat until very hot. Place 
1 cup of matzah meal in 
a shallow dish. Using wet 
hands, shape the fish 
mixture into flattened 
patties (about one-third 
cup of mixture each). 
Carefully dredge the pat-
ties in the matzah meal 
and fry on both sides 
until golden. Place the 
finished patties on the 
prepared baking sheet. 
Add more oil if needed 
and the second cup of 
matzah meal if needed 
for dredging. 
About 30 minutes 
before serving, place 
the patties (uncovered) 
in a 250ºF. oven to 
heat. Serve keftes with 
sauce spooned over the 
top and sprinkled with 
chopped parsley. Makes 
8 servings. 

FOOD

continued from page 39

