Eat 'em & Beat 'em with Bitterballen!

While I’m getting a late start, due to game 1 of Group Stage play overlapping with my Culinary Ridealong of the Tour de France, I thought I’d reprise my eat em to beat em series that I did for the men’s team in last year’s World Cup. That’s right, the more successful women’s team defeated Vietnam last week and will take on the Netherlands tonight. Hopefully, this meal will be more successful than when the men played the same country in the winter. I decided to make a little bar snack called bitterballen, which are deep-fried little savory meatballs that you dip in mustard. Serve it up with a beer and you’re good to go for tonight’s match which starts at 9 pm!

Bitterballen

Typically, bitterballen involves a slow braise of meat. However, it’s a weeknight, so this is a shortcut recipe, and it’s a little tidier to eat with ground meat. This makes about 20 bitterballen.

• Large shallot, minced

• ½ lb meatloaf mix

• ½ stick of butter

• Nutmeg

• ~2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

• 1 cup of flour, divided

• 1.5 cups beef broth

• 2 eggs, beaten

• Seasoned breadcrumbs

• Oil for frying

Add a teaspoon to a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the shallot. Once softened, add in the meatloaf mix and brown with some salt and pepper.

Once the fat renders out and has nearly evaporated, add in the butter.

Once the butter has fully melted and has been stirred in, Grate about a ½ tsp of nutmeg over the meat and stir in the parsley.

After about a minute, sprinkle on half of the flour, along with more salt and pepper. Stir until fully combined and no wet flour remains and it starts to smell a little toasty. Then using a rubber whisk, whisk in the stock and continue stirring until the mixture coagulates.

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, keep stirring the thick mixture and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture takes on some color. The texture will be a combo of an unset frittata and pudding…i.e. it will have a little wobble to it.

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the mixture out into a thin, even layer, and place into the freezer to chill, for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat about 2 inches of oil in a pot (or in a deep fryer) to 350 degrees. PLace the remaining flour in a large ziplock back. Mix the eggs in a shallow dish/platter, and pour out the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish/platter.

Once the meat mixture is cool, form into ~2” balls. Once all of the balls are rolled out, place half in the ziplock bag of flour, close and shake. Remove the balls, shaking off the excess flour, and repeat with the remaining balls.

Once all the meatballs have been dusted, roll some in the egg, allowing it to drip off. Then, roll the egg-coated balls into the breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet. Once all of the balls have been breaded, begin frying in batches, for about 4 minutes.

Remove the fried balls, with a slotted spoon, placing them on a rack-line baking sheet to cool briefly. Repeat with the remaining balls.

Serve warm with some mustard for dipping.

______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.