Bitter Balls

This recipe is for deep fried bitterballs which are not bitter. They are a Dutch snack served with bitters or any beverage. They are like croquettes. Sorry about the metricness. It is a Dutch recipe.

Ingredients:

25 g butter

2 tbs olive oil

75 g (3 big tbs) flour

a half cup or so of milk

50 ml chicken broth

200 g chopped (cooked) chicken meat

75 g chopped ham

salt, black pepper

1 egg

4 tbs bread crumbs

Heat butter and olive oil, stir in flour, then add chicken broth and milk (bit by bit) until (very) thick sauce forms. Simmer for 5 minutes then add chicken and ham. Add salt and pepper.

Spread on a plate and cool in the fridge then roll into “balls” and freeze.

Deep fry at 190 C for 4-5 minutes.

For beef bitterballs:

Use beef broth (or the gravy from the beef) instead of chicken broth

Use 200g of cooked stew beef:

Bake fresh stew beef chunks (spiced with salt and pepper) in 25 g butter until brown; add 3 cups (300 ml at least) of water and simmer at low temperature until meat falls apart (3.5 hours).

Probably you don’t need the ham.

For shrimp bitterballs:

Use fish broth instead of chicken broth.

Use 125 whole small shrimps and 75 chopped ones.

Add 100 g chopped champignons and 1 tbs chopped parsley.

Use somewhat less milk and add 2 tbs of white wine.

-Vince Berk