RISSOLES WITH GRAVY

No visit to my English Nana’s house was complete without a serving of her rissoles, which she made in her electric frying pan. Most of the time they were burnt to a crisp, but I didn’t mind, they still tasted like Nana’s rissoles. My father tells me she only made them one way during his childhood and that was with the black bits on. Rissoles and gravy is a great old-fashioned meal that children love, especially as this recipe has the addition of tomato sauce, which provides some sweetness. The secret is to cook them long enough to cook through but not long enough to be dry and rock hard. When I tasted these, I was transported back to my Nana’s kitchen – without the burnt bits.

RISSOLES

500g beef mince (not too lean,

you need a bit of fat in them)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Olive oil for frying GRAVY

2 tbsp plain flour

2 cups beef stock

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Put all the ingredients for the rissoles, except the oil, in a bowl. Take your rings off and mix it all together with your hands. If you have time, let it sit for a while to allow the flavours to develop, then shape them into patties.

2 Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and cook them a few at a time. If you overcrowd the pan, they won’t cook evenly.

3 Cook on a high heat to brown them on both sides, then turn it down to medium and cook for about 5 minutes on each side to ensure they are cooked through.

4 Place them on paper towels in a low oven to keep them warm.

5 Make the gravy by whisking the flour and the stock in a jug until there are no lumps. Pour it into the pan you cooked the rissoles in, and stir the mixture into all the juices and crunchy bits left over in the pan. Stir over a medium heat until the gravy boils and thickens. Add the chopped parsley and pour over the rissoles.