Haven’t made anything edible since last December. I’ve decided to make Frikadelle to start off the recipe blog for 2012 – a dish that has left a deep imprint in my mind ever since I last tried it in Frankfurt am Main in January this year.
Frikadellen – pan-fried meat dumplings (usually a mixture of beef and pork) actually originates from Denmark, but has nevertheless made a mark in the Hessian parts of Germany. It’s a must-have at the Wochenmärkte along the German streets, eaten either with their specialty Waldpilz Soße (Forest Mushroom sauce) or with other accompaniments like Bratkartoffeln (stir-fried potato and meat slices), mashed potatoes, salad and Brötchen (buns).
Ingredients:
- Egg: 1, beaten
- Paprika powder: 1 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Ground blackpepper: to taste
- Breadcrumbs: 2 tbsp
- Mixed herbs (or any herbs): 1 tsp
- Minced pork: 500g
- Olive oil: About 1/2 cup
- White onion: 1, chopped finely
- Spring onion: 1 stalk, chopped finely
- Sugar: 1 tsp
- Plain flour: for coating
Method:
- Add egg, paprika powder, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and herbs to minced pork. Mix thoroughly.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil. Fry both types of onions with sugar till soft and transparent.
- Remove onions from heat. Add into meat mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Heat the rest of the oil in a shallow pan.
- Divide mixture into 4-5 portions and pat into a flat meatball.
- Coat meatballs with flour and pat away the excess.
- Place meatballs on frying pan. Fry each side for 10min till golden brown.
- Place meatballs on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with Waldpilz Soße (forest mushroom sauce).
Tricks:
- Always wet your hands while forming the meat into balls to prevent them from sticking to your hands.
- Add 1 tsp mustard and 1 clove garlic to create a more authentic taste.
Disclaimers:
- The Waldpilz Soße came right out of a Knorr packet that I brought back with me from Frankfurt. It saves me the hassle of having to cook the sauce after a busy day at work. This is supposedly one of the favourite sauces of the Germans.
- The Frikadellen served at the German markets are probably 3 times saltier than mine. You’ve got to try them to believe me. They use a mixture of minced beef and pork as well, the former of which isn’t used here.
Serving:
Makes 4-5 large meatballs
Interestingly enough, the german frikadelle that I tasted has mustard in it.
Here’s the recipe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK0WMWXpL4g
Yup, that’s the authentic version which I mentioned under ‘Tricks’. Didn’t want to buy a whole bottle of mustard just for that 1 tbsp or so!
Digress a bit, have you tried sweet mustard ? It tastes like peanut sauce and doesn’t taste like mustard at all. Weird.
I’m definitely not a fan of mustard, even if it tastes as friendly as peanut sauce…!
Nice photos! I think Frikadellen are ubiquitous in Germany, a staple meat, but my experience may not be universal either — I’m from the Northwest. 🙂
Thanks for sharing Mona! You’re probably right too. Frikadelle is too lovely a dish to be contained within just the southern parts of Germany 🙂
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