Boulettes Recipes

BOULETTES

Steps:

• Mix meat and seasonings. Shape into 1 inch meatballs.
• Put enough water in saucepan that the meatballs will be covered. Bring to a boil.
• Add 1 meatball at a time so water does not stop boiling.
• Cook until liquid is reduced to about 1c - about 30 minutes.
• Whisk in flour to thicken and reseason to taste. Should you overthicken, just add more water to desired consistency.
• Serve over rice or noodles or by itself.

RAGOUT DE BOULETTES

Steps:

• 1. To the ground pork add the onion, bread crumbs, milk, parsley, ginger, and dry mustard. (If you choose to use the ground cinnamon and ground cloves option, add them to the meat mixture). Add the beaten egg. Salt and pepper, make into 2 inch balls. Flour them (with white flour).
• 2. Fry the meat balls in a fat of your choice to brown them.
• 3. Pour 3 cups of broth or water over the meat balls. Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cloves and discard.
• 4. Now the secret to the goodness of a ragout Quebec-style: Sprinkle flour into a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until flour becomes an even mid-caramel colour; cool. Watch carefully, it can burn easily. If it does burn, throw it out and gently brown anther 4 tablespoons of flour.
• 5. Shake together in a jar the browned flour and 1/2 cup water. Pour into the broth and continue cooking, stirring until it thickens to a good consistency.
• 6. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.

BOULETTES

Steps:

• 1. Mix meat and seasonings. Shape into 1 inch meatballs.
• 2. Put enough water in saucepan that the meatballs will be covered. Bring to a boil.
• 3. Add 1 meatball at a time so water does not stop boiling.
• 4. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 1c - about 30 minutes.
• 5. Whisk in flour to thicken and reseason to taste. Should you overthicken, just add more water to desired consistency.
• 6. Serve over rice or noodles or by itself.

RAGOUT DE BOULETTES CANADIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Brown finely chopped onion in bacon grease.
• Add to ground pork along with celery, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves.
• Shape into balls about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
• Roll in seasoned flour (flour, salt, and pepper combined).
• Drop meatballs into boiling beef broth.
• Reduce temperature; simmer for 1 hour.
• Thicken remaining stock with browned flour; season to taste.
• NOTES FOR THE COOK:.
• You may make beef stock or use boullion cubes and water.
• Browned flour is something our Mothers and Grandmothers made. It is very simple to make by just stirring several tablespoons of flour back and forth in a dry medium hot skillet. This type of flour will not thicken as quickly as plain flour because the heat breaks down the starch cells. It takes 3 tablespoons of browned flour to do the work of 1-1/2 tablespoons of plain flour. 'Flour may be browned in a hot oven' is what recipe says; I don't know about that; I think it could burn pretty easy.

NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS (BOULETTES)

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook without browning until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron, and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and allow to sizzle for 1 minute more. Add broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. May be made several hours in advance, up to a day.
• Make the meatballs: Put bread cubes and milk in a small bowl. Leave bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry.
• In a mixing bowl, put squeezed-out bread, ground meat and egg. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, coriander and cumin. Mix well with hands to distribute seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons each of parsley, cilantro and scallion, and knead for a minute. May be prepared several hours in advance, up to a day.
• With hands, roll mixture into small round balls about the size of a quarter. Dust balls lightly with flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil, or a quarter-inch depth, over medium-high heat and fry meatballs until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towel. Simmer meatballs in saffron-tomato sauce, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, make the couscous, if desired: Cook according to package directions, fluff gently and stir in butter and raisins. Season with salt and cinnamon, and toss well.
• Garnish meatballs with remaining parsley, cilantro and scallion. Serve with couscous and roasted tomatoes if desired.

BOULETS LIEGEOIS (BELGIAN MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl to thoroughly combine.
• Add the breadcrumbs, eggs, parsley, and onions. Mix thoroughly.
• Roll into meatballs, about 1/2 cup each, and dredge in flour.
• Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes on each side.
• Remove meatballs to a plate. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter to the skillet.
• Add the chopped onions and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until onions are caramelized.
• Add the brown sugar and thyme, stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the flour, stir to combine.
• Add apple butter and vinegar, stir.
• Pour in the beef stock, and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Add the meatballs back to the sauce and cook for 15 minutes to heat through.
• Serve immediately with pomme frites {French fries} and Belgian beer or wine.

PORK BOULETTES

Steps:

• In a saute pan, brown the pork for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper-lined plate. In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add 3 tablespoons of flour, stirring constantly for a brown roux. Add the onions, peppers and garlic and continue to saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables wilt. Add the pork and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the water. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture for 45 minutes. Stir in the rice and green onions, hot pepper sauce, and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs. Remove from the heat and cool for 20 minutes. Season the flour and remaining bread crumbs with Essence, separately. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Season the mixture with Essence. Shape the pork/rice mixture into balls the size of walnuts. Dredge the balls in the flour. Dip each ball in the egg wash, letting any excess drip off. Dredge the balls in the bread crumbs. Fry the roulettes a couple at a time until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the boulettes from the fryer and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with Essence. Spoon the Aioli in the center of the plate and around the rim. Mound the boulettes in the center of the sauce. Garnish with
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.