Recipe for gueuze ballekes (meatballs)

Ballekes (meatballs) à la gueuze, also called ballekes à la marolienne will make your guests drool, especially those who enjoy a good beer. It is self-explanatory to state the main ingredient is of course gueuze beer: a special mix of lambics that continue to ferment while they are in the bottle.

Ingredients for 6 people

Preparing the sauce

1. Chop the 3 cloves of garlic and 3 onions. Fry them slightly in a pan with a bit of butter
2. Sprinkle them with a bit of flour and mix it all
3. Add the gueuze, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cassonade, thyme and the bay tree leaf
4. Let it simmer while you prepare your ballekes.

Making your ballekes

1. In a bit bowl, mix the minced meat (both beef and pork), the egg yolk, the breadcrumbs, milk, salt, pepper, a bit of nutmeg, thyme, parsley and the 4th onion (chopped of course)
2. The time has come to make those meat balls. Put some flour in your hands so they don't stick and you have a better grip. The size depends on you: the bigger they are, they longer it will take to cook them
3. Fry the meat balls on all sides in some butter
4. Add your precious ballekers into the sauce and keep it simmering for at least another 30 minutes.

Bon appétit !