Bitterballen

At last night's small group, we had a Dutch theme in honor of Liberation Day. In addition to Hutspot and Sate, I made bitterballen, a sort of deep fried meatball with diced veggies and seasonings. It's using dipped in mustard or Dijon sauce. Of course, in Holland, you can find these in the freezer section of the local store. Since we live in America, woefully far away from a Dutch store, I made them from scratch. Now that I know how time-intensive they are, Niels knows how much I love him!

Bitterballen

Ingredients:
4 tbl. butter or margarine
1/2 lb ground beef or veal
1/4 cup carrot, finely diced
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
A grating of fresh nutmeg
1 tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 tbl. parsley, finely chopped
5 tbl. flour
1 cup beef broth or milk
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
Oil for deep frying

Instructions:

• Heat one tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook the meat, carrots, and onions until the meat is browned and the carrots are tender.

• Drain the meat in a colander, then place in a mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, and parsley and stir to combine. Set the meat mixture aside.

• Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over moderate heat and stir in the flour to make a roux. I had no idea what a roux was!

• Cook this for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the beef broth or milk. Continue heating, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and becomes quite thick.

• Combine the sauce with the meat mixture, stirring to combine them thoroughly, and chill this mixture for at least two hours in the refrigerator, until it has become solid.




• When the mixture has solidified, roll it into balls about 1 inches in diameter, using your hands. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs, then in the egg and water mixture, then in the bread crumbs again.

• Fry a few at a time in a deep fryer with at least 2 inches of oil at 375 degrees until golden (about 2 to 3 minutes). Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.