GEHAKTBALLEN-- DUTCH MEATBALLS

GEHAKTBALLEN DUTCH MEATBALLS
Even if you don’t like curry, I am not too fond of it, the flavor of these meatballs is very pleasing. The First United Methodist Church in Holland, Michigan serves these meatballs in their booths at the Tulip Festival and Kerstmarkt. They make giant meatballs, 5 per recipe. For their church Dutch dinners prepared for tourists to the Tulip Festival, they serve one meatball with potatoes and kale (Boerenkool Stamppot.) For the winter market, Kerstmarkt, they serve one meat ball in a hamburger bun. Delicious! When grilled burgers began to get boring try a meatball grill party. Dutch, Swedish and Italian meatballs could be served. At the Montana State Fair they serve the Big Norwegian, a giant meatball on a stick. The Dutch like these meatballs served with home fries and lots of mayonnaise.

Mace is the covering found on the nutmeg.  It frequently is used in baking in European countries as well as meat.  It is native to Indonesia and another example of how the spices from the East Indies were worked into traditional Dutch recipes.

MEATBALLS
¾ lb. ground pork
3/8 lb. ground beef
2 slices white bread, cubed
Milk
1 egg
1 small onion, minced
1 ½ t salt
½ t curry powder
½ t ground mace
½ t ground pepper
GRAVY
3 T margarine
½ c beef stock
A little Maggi seasoning to taste
A little Ketjap Manis
In a small bowl, put the bread cubes and a little milk. Allow to soak. Press out the milk and put the bread into a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the meatball ingredients and mix well. For mixture into meatballs. (I made them the church way and make 5 large meatballs. Instead of frying, I did like we did at church and baked them in a 350° until the internal temperature reached 160°.) Melt the 3 tablespoons of margarine in a frying pan. Brown the meatballs for about 15 minutes, turning them a couple of times. Reduce the heat to simmer; cook meatballs for another 15 minutes, turning a few times. Remove the meatballs. Add the beef stock and bring to a high heat, scraping the pan. Add a little Maggi seasoning and Ketjap Manis for a light gravy to serve with the meatballs. NOTE: If desired, the meatballs can be coated with breadcrumbs before frying.

Ingredients including Penzey's Sweet Curry powder.

Colorful spices ready to be mixed into meat.

Mix well.

Form into meatballs, large or small.

Baked giant meatball with gravy.

Giant meatball with potatoes, kale and gravy.