Bitterbollen

Finally! Super Dutch success!

A dish that I loved, Patience wolfed down and we'll happily make and serve again.

These little deep fried balls of mince-y goodness are found lurking anywhere you can buy a beer in Holland- a bit hot like chips here in Australia. Only these are served with mustard and they're a great stomach liner for the long beer filled afternoons ahead this summer.

Easy to make, tasty to eat and interesting enough to impress guests when you serve them.

Again, this recipe is derived from one found in Dutch & Belgian Cooking - published 1978 through Bay Books. Anything that can be served on cocktail sticks is a winner according to the era.

Bitterballen: Savoury mince balls

Ingredients:

(makes about 40 balls- depending on the size you roll them)

• 3 Tablespoon butter
• 5 Tablespoon plain flour
• 1 cup chicken or beef stock
• 500g pork or beef mince (we use pork)
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp brown or Worcestershire sauce
• oil to deep fry
• 2 egg whites, whisked until frothy
• 1/2 fine bread crumbs
• Mustard of your choice to serve

Method:

In a large fry-pan brown the mince evenly. Doing it in batches helps to reduce the water content that can cause it to stew rather than brown, and you'll want it to be nice a browned all over. Remove it from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan melt the butter, add the flower and cook for around 2 mins, stirring constantly. Add the stock to the p

an a little at a time, stirring continuously until a smooth paste is formed. Add the cooked mince, parsley, salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together until thoroughly combined.

Spread the mixture out evenly on a flat plate and chill for two hours or until firm enough to handle.

Heat the oil for frying in a saucepan. Form the mine mixture into balls about 2cm in size. Dip in the beaten egg whites and then roll in breadcrumbs. Drop into the boiling oil and deep-fry until crispy and golden brown, about 4 at a time is good.

Pile in a bowl and serve with a dipping bowl of mustard and an icy beer, or a crisp glass of gin.

They're best eaten while hot and crunchy, they're a crowd pleaser- but then, they are deep fried and served with beer.

Note: You don't have to use brown or Worcestershire sauce- but they do add a nice tang to the bitterballen. I've seen other recipes that leave this out all together or substitute other sauces including tomato, it's up to you.