4mediumyellow onion - one minced and three roughly chopped
1cupdried breadcrumbs
⅔cupmilk
2mediumegg
2tablespoonsvegetable oil
6tablespoonssirop de Liège
3tablespoonssugar (white sugar)
6piecesbay leaf (bay leaves)
⅓cupwhite vinegar - or more to taste
2tablespoonsbutter
2tablespoonsall purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
1handfuldried currants - optional
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs into the milk, then add the minced onion, breadcrumbs, and ground meat. Mix the ingredients by hand and then divide to make eight balls, or boulets, each about the size of a tennis ball.
Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillets, and cook the meatballs, flattening just slightly, in oil for 10–15 minutes, turning regularly.
Add 2/3 cup water and cook for another 10 minutes.
Once cooked, set the meatballs and their juices aside on a plate. Use the hot pan for cooking the roughly chopped onions in oil for 10 minutes.
When they start turning brown, add vinegar and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large pot and add 2 1/4 cups water, the sugar, sirop de Liège (or substitution), and bay leaves. (If using the currants, add them now.) Bring to a boil before turning the heat down to a gentle simmer for 5–10 minutes.
In the skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat and mix with the flour. Stir and remove from the heat half a minute after the butter melts, making sure the flour doesn’t burn. Add a cup of the sauce to this roux and whisk until smooth, then return to the pot and stir. When the sauce starts to thicken, add the meatballs and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Notes
If you don’t have sirop de Liège, the recipe suggests substituting 4 tablespoons red currant jelly and 2 tablespoons honey; I think a good-quality grape jelly would also work.