Title: Belgian Meatballs Braised in Beer
Categories: Groundmeat, Belgian, Beer, Sauces
Yield: 6 Servings
Meatballs:
1 c Fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 c Milk; or more
1 lb Lean ground beef
1/2 lb Ground pork or veal
1 lg Egg
1 tb Shallots; minced
1 tb Fresh parsley; minced
Salt & pepper
1 pn Nutmeg; grated
2 tb Flour
2 tb Unsalted butter
1 tb Vegetable oil
Sauce:
1 md Onion; thinly sliced
3 Belgian endive; cored/cut in
- 1/4" rounds
1 ts Sugar
Salt & pepper
1 1/2 tb Flour
1 c Blond Pilsner style beer
1/2 c Beef or chicken broth
2 tb Fresh parsley
To prepare meatballs, soak bread crumbs in milk until thoroughly
moistened; squeeze dry with hands. Combine bread crumbs, ground
meats, eggs, shallots, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in medium
bowl. Form mixture into 6 to 8 balls or patties (2" in diameter and
1/2" thick); dust with 2 tb flour.
Heat butter and oil in deep, heavy Dutch oven, until hot but not
smoking, over high heat. Add meatballs; cook until browned on all
sides, about 5 minutes, making sure butter does not burn. Remove
meat balls to platter; keep warm.
To prepare sauce, discard all but 2 tb of fat in pan. Add onion and
endives. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about
10 minutes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tb flour to vegetables;
cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add beer and broth; heat
to quick boil, scraping up all brown bits from bottom of pan.
Reduce heat to simmer; return meatballs to pan, placing them on
top of vegetables. Simmer, partly covered, until meat is cooked
through, 45 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Recipe by Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook by Ruth Van Warebeck
Source: Chicago Tribune, October 2, 1996
