Bitterballen

Ingredients

• 400g beef shin or chuck, in one piece
• 1 litre beef stock
• 1 onion, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 90g butter
• 110g plain flour
• 1 small onion, very finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp Dutch mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 gelatine leaves
• 100g plain flour for coating
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 250g fine dried breadcrumbs
• 1 litre sunflower oil for deep frying
• Grainy mustard, to serve

Before you cook

• Very finely chop the small onion and the parsley.
• Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes, then squeeze them out.
• Line a shallow 20cm dish with cling film.
• Set out three bowls: flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs.

Steps

1. Simmer the beef in the stock with the halved onion, bay leaves and peppercorns for 2 hours until it falls apart under a fork.
2. Lift the beef out and strain the stock, keeping 600ml of it.
3. Shred the beef finely with two forks and discard any gristle.
4. Melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat and stir in 110g flour.
5. Cook the roux for 3 minutes, stirring, until it smells biscuity and turns pale gold.
6. Add the hot stock a splash at a time, whisking hard after each addition, until you have a very thick, smooth sauce.
7. Cook the sauce for 6 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly so it does not catch.
8. Whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it disappears.
9. Stir in the shredded beef, chopped onion, parsley, nutmeg, mustard, salt and pepper.
10. Spread the ragout into the lined dish, press cling film onto the surface, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firm enough to cut.
11. Scoop walnut-sized pieces of the cold ragout and roll them into balls between your palms.
12. Roll each ball through the flour, then the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs.
13. Dip each ball in egg and breadcrumbs a second time for an armour-plated crust.
14. Chill the coated balls for 20 minutes.
15. Heat the oil to 180C and fry six bitterballen at a time for 3 minutes until deep brown.
16. Drain them on a rack and serve straight away with grainy mustard, warning everyone that the middles are molten.