BOOK/A TABLE - Rissoles for Dummies!

I always keep the seasons in mind when choosing my next read (The Enchanted April in spring, Jaws over July 4th—that sort of thing) and what is better paired with a bleak winter than a Russian novel? A friend had been urging me to read Dostevsky’s The Idiot and after pushing Doctor Zhivago aside (I could only withstand about 50 pages), I dug in—and what a wild ride it was. Often feeling like fever dream, the novel is deliberately obscure, leaving us wondering at the truth, much like our hero (the good-hearted, purported “idiot”), Prince Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin. Having devoured The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment, I’m definitely Team Dostoevsky. Sorry, Tolstoy.

The characters do manage to eat well though, and this section certainly sparked my interest:

“In addition to tea, coffee, cheese, honey, butter, the special thick pancakes that were the favourite of the general’s wife, rissoles and so on, a strong hot bouillon was even sometimes served. On the morning our narrative begins, the entire household had gathered in the dining room...”

Now, I love pancakes, but what were rissoles? A quick survey of Wikipedia explained they are a kind of spiced meatball, flattened, then coated in breadcrumbs, and fried. Great with mashed potatoes and green beans. Certainly, nothing lost in translation there—a real no-brainer! 

Do enjoy!

Rissoles
Adapted from simplehomeedit.com

Serves 4

Ingredients
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) regular minced (ground) beef (can be substituted with minced pork or chicken)
1 onion, grated (or finely chopped)
1 tsp freshly minced garlic
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs (store-bought, panko or homemade)
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp salt or beef or chicken stock powder (bouillon)
3 tbsp olive oil, for frying

Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish  

Instructions
Make the rissole mixture – Add the minced beef, onion, minced garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt or stock powder to a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine and roll the mixture into portions the size of golf balls. Flatten using the palm of your hand to form the rissoles.

Cook the rissoles – Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–low heat. Cook the rissoles for 8–10 minutes until browned and cooked through, turning once halfway through. Cook in batches if you need to, so that the pan isn’t crowded – this will prevent the rissoles steaming in the pan and will ensure a golden crust. Set the rissoles aside on a plate.

Make a gravy with the pan juices (optional) – Turn the heat off. Drain any excess oil from the bottom of the pan using a serving spoon and then, while the pan is still hot, add 2–3 tablespoons of water. Use a spoon to scrape up all of the pan drippings.

Serve – Drizzle the pan juices over the rissoles and serve with your favourite sides.

OR To cook the rissoles in an air fryer – Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (350°F) for about 3–5 minutes.

Lightly spray or brush both sides of the rissoles with olive oil to ensure they brown evenly.

Place the rissoles in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not touching. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.

Air fry the rissoles for 10–12 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. Quick note when air frying: must be made with regular minced (ground) beef, not lean as it’s too dry!

 

Thanks to madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot.com for the photo!