Bitterballen

Step 1: Put 14 oz beef chuck, 4 ¼ cups water, 1 onion, 1 bay leaf and 1 beef stock cube in a pan. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours until the meat falls apart when pushed with a fork.

Step 2: Lift out the beef and strain the stock; you need 500 ml (top up with water if short). Shred the beef very finely with two forks.

Step 3: Melt 2 ⅛ oz butter in a clean pan over a medium heat, stir in 2 ½ oz plain flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty and looks like wet sand.

Step 4: Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, whisking hard after each, until you have a very thick, smooth sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring.

Step 5: Squeeze out 2 gelatine leaves and stir it into the hot sauce until melted. Add the beef, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ⅓ oz fresh parsley, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper. The ragout should be thick enough to hold a trail when you drag a spoon through it.

Step 6: Spread it in a shallow dish, press cling film onto the surface and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm enough to cut.

Step 7: With lightly oiled hands, roll the ragout into balls of about 20 g (3 cm). Roll each in 1 ¾ oz plain flour, then 1 ½ eggs, then 3 ½ oz fine dried breadcrumbs.

Step 8: Dip each ball again in the rest of 1 ½ eggs and roll in the rest of 3 ½ oz fine dried breadcrumbs so every bit is sealed. Freeze on a tray for 20 minutes (or freeze completely and fry straight from frozen later).

Step 9: Heat 6 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep, heavy pan to 350°F; never fill it more than a third full. Fry 6–8 balls at a time for 3–4 minutes until deep golden and hot right through (5 minutes from frozen). Drain on kitchen paper.

Step 10: Leave for 2 minutes, as the centres are scalding, then serve with 4 tbsp strong mustard for dipping.