Boulets à la Liégeoise Recipe: Delicious Meatballs with Liège Syrup

Ingredients:

For the balls:

• 500 g minced pork
• 500 g of minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion
• 1 slice of stale bread
• 10 cl of milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper
• A little flour to coat

For the sauce:

• 2 onions
• 40 g butter
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2 tablespoons of Liège syrup
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of mustard
• 75 cl of beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preparation of the balls:

   • Dip the slice of stale bread in the milk to soften it, then squeeze it out and crumble it.
   • Finely slice the onion.
   • In a large bowl, mix the ground meats, softened bread, chopped onion, eggs, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
   • Form balls the size of tennis balls and roll them in a little flour to lightly coat them.

2. Cooking the meatballs:

   • Heat a little butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
   • Brown the balls on all sides, then set them aside.

3. Preparation of the sauce:

   • Slice the onions.
   • In the same pan, add a little butter and fry the sliced onions until translucent.
   • Sprinkle with flour and mix well to form a roux.
   • Add the Liège syrup, red wine vinegar, mustard and beef broth. Mix well.
   • Add the bay leaves and the sprig of thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.
   • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Final cooking:

   • Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce.
   • Cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thick and flavorful.

5. Service:

   • Serve the Liège-style meatballs hot, topped with their creamy sauce.
   • Accompany them with Belgian fries, mashed potatoes or a green salad.

Tips:

• Liège syrup is a key ingredient that gives the sauce its characteristic sweetness. You can find it in specialty grocery stores or online.
• For a personal touch, you can add raisins or prunes to the sauce while cooking for an even richer and sweeter flavor.

Bon appetit!