Ragout de Boulettes

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

37 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 8 servings

"Meatball stew" doesn't convey the spicy goodness of these lean pork meatballs simmered in broth. They are perfectly delicious with a sprinkle of parsley and a bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes or buttered noodles. This is a recipe from the family collection of Andr?eauchamp of Ottawa, but variations on the theme are found in Canada wherever French is spoken. Ragout de Boulettes reheats beautifully and travels well to chalet or potluck suppers.

Ingredients

2 slices good-quality white bread 2 2slices good-quality white bread
1/2 cup milk 1/2 1/2cup cupmilk
2 tbsp butter 2 2tbsp tbspbutter
3/4 cup very finely chopped onions 3/4 3/4cup cupvery finely chopped oniononions
2 lb finely ground lean pork 2 2lb lbfinely ground lean pork
3 tbsp very finely choppped parsley 3 3tbsp tbspvery finely choppped parsley
2 tsp salt 2 2tsp tspsalt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tspfreshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp cloves 1/4 1/4tsp tspclovecloves
1/4 tsp ginger 1/4 1/4tsp tspginger
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 1/4tsp tspfreshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 1/2tsp tspcinnamon
1 tsp dry mustard 1 1tsp tspdry mustard
4 cups lightly salted beef stock 4 4cups cupslightly salted beef stock or chicken stock
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 1/2cup cupall-purpose flour
3/4 cup cold water 3/4 3/4cup cupcold water
finely chopped Parsley , (optional)finely chopped Parsley, (optional)

Preparation

Crumb or cube bread very finely and soak in milk for 5 minutes. In large skillet, melt 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter and saut?nion until tender. Transfer to large bowl and add pork, bread and milk, parsley and seasonings. Mix thoroughly with hands; form into balls about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.

Melt remaining butter in skillet and, over medium heat, brown meatballs, one layer at a time, on all sides. Place meatballs in medium-size saucepan.

Pour 1 cup (250 mL) stock into skillet and heat, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan; pour this and remaining stock over meatballs. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Taste stock and adjust seasoning.

Now the secret to the goodness of a ragout Quebec-style: Sprinkle flour into a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until flour becomes an even mid-caramel colour; cool. In jar with tight-fitting lid, shake flour with cold water to make a smooth creamy liquid. Pour this slowly into simmering stock, stirring constantly, so stock will thicken without lumps.

Simmer stew another 10 minutes. Sprinkle generously with parsley if desired and serve.