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Rissoles Recipe

Rissolets, also known as “rissolettes” or just “risoettes” have been around since medieval times and were originally made using leftover scraps of meat from cooking big meals.

They’re often served cold to children at school lunches.

Today, rissoletes are still considered a delicacy across Europe, but there are several variations on how they’re prepared.

Some people like to use ground beef, while others prefer lamb, chicken, pork chops, turkey, or even fish.

What Are The Ingredients In A Rissole?

The basic ingredients include rice (or other grain), onion or leek, salt, pepper, milk, egg yolks, flour, butter, and sometimes bacon fat or lard.

The amount of each ingredient can vary depending on what type of rissole you want to create.

  • Onion, chopped finely – 1 cup
  • Eggs – 2-3 eggs
  • Flour – 3/4 cups
  • Milk – 1/2 cup
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste
  • Butter or Lard – 1 tablespoon
  • Bacon Fat – Optional

You can add more than one item if you wish, such as adding some mushrooms or sauteed vegetables instead of onions, garlic, or herbs.

You might also consider replacing the whole wheat flour with all purpose flour because it has less protein content, which will affect your final product.

If you’d rather not use any flour, try making this version that uses only an egg white and water mix.

This is called a ‘roux’ and is used frequently in French cuisine.

Just remember to keep track of the total volume of liquids added so everything comes out evenly cooked.

How Do You Make Rissoles?

If you want to learn more about making traditional rissoles, check out this article that explains exactly what these little morsels consist of.

In addition to being delicious, rissoles are an easy meal to prepare because all you need to make them is some sort of protein source (like ground beef), flour, eggs, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

The best part is that it doesn’t take much time to cook up a batch so if you’ve got any leftovers lying around, rissoles are one of the easiest things to reheat!

To start off your rissole-making adventure, grab yourself some ground chuck, seasonings, and eggs.

Then, follow along with our step by step instructions below.

  • Put the ground chuck into a large mixing bowl and add 1/4 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of butter. Mix everything together until well combined.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of sugar, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and then mix everything together again.
  • Now place another piece of plastic wrap over the mixture and roll it tightly into a log shape before wrapping it up in aluminum foil. Make sure to keep the ends open so you don’t lose any of the air inside.
  • Place the wrapped ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake it at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, turning halfway through.
  • After 40 minutes, remove the rissole from the oven and let cool completely. You should be able to cut the rissole into slices once it has cooled down.

What Can You Serve Rissoles With?

You can serve them in a variety of ways.

You could slice them up thinly and put some salad dressing over them (like I did here), spread them out on an appetizer plate with cheese melted on top, or wrap them in bacon and deep fry them until crispy.

The possibilities really are endless.

What Is The Origin Of The Rissole?

The word “rissole” comes from the French word “rissoleer” which means “to tear apart”.

The name was given because it would be torn into pieces and eaten in an assembly line fashion.

In the early days, these dishes were only available during Lent when meat consumption was restricted.

However, over time, they became more popular and eventually spread throughout Europe.

During World War II, the U.S.

government issued ration coupons that allowed families who could not afford meat to purchase cuts of beef.

These were repurposed by restaurants and sold as rissolettes, giving them new life outside of their religious context.

Traditional Rissolette Recipe

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (or other ground meats)
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 4 eggs beaten well
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place all ingredients except the salt and pepper in bowl then mix together until batter forms.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

You can add any vegetables you want to your rissoles such as mushrooms, onions, spinach, zucchini, leeks, etc…

How Many Rissoles Can You Make With This Recipe?

If you want to impress your friends and family with an impressive number of these little gems, then we suggest doubling up the ingredients in our Risoletto recipe below!

You could also try making it into mini-sized rissoles by halving the amount of filling used per patty (or simply cut them into smaller pieces).

  • 1 lb. Ground Beef
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Olive Oil spray or butter brush

In addition to being delicious, rissoletes are also inexpensive, easy to prepare, and require very few utensils – which means that you can whip one up quickly when needed.

The secret ingredient to their success is the crusty exterior formed from the breadcrumb coating.

The more surface area the crumbs cover, the crispier the result will be.

A good way to ensure all areas get covered equally is to take a piece of paper towel and fold over once before placing each patty on top of another patty so that the edges overlap slightly.

What Is The Nutritional Value Of A Rissole?

There isn’t really any definitive answer when it comes to exactly how much nutrition you get from each individual rissole.

Because they contain so little actual food (unless your rissole has chunks in it), the amount of calories per serving varies wildly depending on what goes into them.

For example, if you decide to make a rissole out of shredded cabbage instead of ground beef, then your rissole would end up being very low in protein and fat, but very high in fiber and carbohydrates.

On the other hand, if you used ground beef in its place, the rissole would be higher in both protein and fat than the one made with cabbage.

The most important thing to remember about making rissolettes is that these dishes aren’t meant to feed an entire family.

Instead, they’re more of a treat to enjoy with friends and loved ones during special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduations, etc.

If you want to keep it simple, however, try sticking with basic ingredients like ground beef, potatoes, onion, and green bell pepper.

That way, everyone gets to choose their favorite flavor combinations without having to worry about getting bored.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 4 medium redskin potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • salt and black pepper to taste

In addition, add some fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, sage, parsley, or cilantro if desired.

Preparation

Start by preheating oven to 350°F.

Then heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan until hot.

Add onions and cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir occasionally so they don’t stick to bottom of pan.

Once cooked, transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, brown ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add potatoes, green peppers, and onions back into the pan along with two cups water.

Bring mixture to a boil, cover, lower heat to simmer, and let cook 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are fork tender.

Remove lid and continue to simmer uncovered until liquid evaporates completely and mixture starts to thicken, another 5 to 10 minutes.

After removing from heat, stir in sour cream and minced chives until combined.

Taste test and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Serve immediately before it sets.

Can Rissoles Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze your own rissoles.

Just make sure that when freezing them in an airtight container, they don’t touch each other so that they stay together in one solid piece.

You should keep them in the freezer until you need them, then defrost them in the fridge overnight before reheating them in the microwave or frying them up for lunch.

Tips for freezing rissoles

  • The more fat you add to the mixture, the longer it will take to thaw out.
  • Don’t overfill your rissollette mold with mincemeat if you want to preserve its shape after freezing.
  • Once defrosted, you may find it easier to cut off small slices rather than try to break apart large chunks.

How Long Do Rissoles Last?

The best way to store your rissolettes is in the fridge overnight before serving them.

If you don’t plan on sharing with other people, then it’s okay to leave them out on the countertop without refrigeration until ready to serve.

If you want to keep them longer than that, here’s what you need to know about freezing rissolette recipes:

  • Make sure your rissolettes aren’t too wet or dry (they should almost drip when cut).
  • Freeze them individually, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. You can freeze them flat if you don’t mind defrosting each one separately.
  • Defrost them over night in the refrigerator first.
  • To reheat, place them between two pieces of aluminum foil, add a little water to the pan, cover with more foil, and cook in an oven set to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

5 ways to make homemade risotto

If you’ve never tried making risotto before, we’ll show you five different methods so you can get started quickly.

Why does my rice stick together after I boil it?

What Are Some Popular Rissole Recipes?

The following are some famous examples of rissole recipes that you might want to try out in your own kitchen:

  • Spanish Risotto: this classic Italian-inspired rice dish uses the same method as risoleti to create an easy meal with a creamy texture.
  • Pork Rissolette: this French version adds sauteed onions, mushrooms, and bacon to the traditional risolette ingredients.
  • Chicken Rissolette: instead of ground chicken, this variation includes diced chicken breast, onion, garlic, green bell pepper, and fresh basil.
  • Fish Rissolette: if seafood isn’t your thing, here’s one for you! The addition of salmon fillet helps make this vegetarian dish more flavorful and nutritious.
  • Seafood Rissolette: this variation includes shrimp, crabmeat, scallops, and mussels.
  • Curry Rissolete: this Indian twist on the original recipe replaces the traditional white sauce with a mildly spiced coconut milk curry sauce.

If these recipes don’t sound appealing enough, check out these other risolotte recipes that will surely impress your friends and family:

  • Turkey Rissolette: this version swaps chicken for lean turkey breast and has a slightly spicy flavor thanks to the inclusion of chili powder.
  • Mushroom Rissolette: this mushroom risolette features portobello mushrooms and can be topped off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Salmon Rissolette: this delicious salmon version uses wild Alaskan sockeye salmon filets and has a subtle sweet finish courtesy of maple syrup.
  • Shrimp Rissolette: this version uses jumbo shrimp instead of regular sized ones and is best enjoyed when served over pasta.

What Are Some Tips For Making Perfect Rissoles?

The secret to making tasty rissoles lies in the way you mix them together.

Rissolettes are basically meat patties that can be baked, fried, grilled, broiled, sautéed, pan-fried, deep-fried, or used as an ingredient in other dishes.

The key is getting your ingredients mixed well so the layers don’t come apart when cooked.

1. Make sure all of your ingredients are fresh

When it comes to rissoles, quality matters more than anything else.

If any of your ingredients aren’t fresh enough, then your rissole won’t turn out right either.

Freshness means tender, juicy meat with no off flavors.

So make sure to buy only high-quality meats that haven’t expired yet.

2. Use plenty of seasoning

If you want your rissoles to taste good, season everything thoroughly before mixing up the dough.

This will help give each patty its own unique flavor profile.

3. Be patient

It takes time to get the mixture into the shape of your desired rissole.

You might not see much progress during the first few minutes of mixing—that’s normal! Just keep working until all the ingredients are blended evenly, and try not to overmix things because this could cause your rissoles to crumble.

4. Shape your rissoles

Before baking or frying your rissols, it’s important to form them into round shapes.

By doing this, they cook faster and better retain their moisture content.

To do this, take two tablespoons (30 mL) of the meat mixture and place one tablespoon (15 mL) onto a piece of wax paper.

Using your hands, gently roll the mixture back and forth into a ball.

Do the same thing with the remaining meat mixture.

Place both balls on top of each other and press down firmly to flatten them slightly.

Repeat steps 4 through 6 with the rest of the meat mixtures.

5. Bake or fry your rissoles

Bake your rissoles at 350°F (180°C).

For best results, allow 15 minutes per pound (454 grams), depending on the size of your rissoles.

Fry your rissoles in hot oil at 375°F (190°C).

Don’t crowd the pan too much, though, as this may result in unevenly browned rissoles.

6. Freeze your rissoles

Freezing rissoles isn’t recommended unless you plan on eating them straight from the freezer later.

But if you must freeze them, wrap individually and stack them between sheets of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Store them in the freezer for up to three months.

Rissoles Recipe

Rissolets, also known as “rissolettes” or just “risoettes” have been around since medieval times and were originally made using leftover scraps of meat from cooking big meals.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Rissoles Recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 367kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 onion grated
  • 50 g panko breadcrumbs
  • 400 g beef mince
  • 1 courgette
  • 1 carrot grated
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • peas and mash

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (apart from the oil) and season with 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper. To make sure everything is thoroughly blended, use your hands. If you have time, roll the mince mixture into 14–16 balls, flatten into tiny patties like hamburgers, and chill for 15 minutes (this helps the patties hold their shape).
  • When the oil in the frying pan is hot, add the rissoles and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes, or until well heated through. (You might have to complete this in batches.) A meat thermometer should read 65C when they are prepared. Possibly serve with mashed potatoes and peas.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2711IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
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