CookEat Recipe
Boiled-Beef Polpettone with Lemon-Egg Sauce
An oval loaf of finely chopped cooked beef and soft bread paste, fried until firm and served with a gently thickened lemon-egg sauce.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 350 g lean cooked boiled beef, promptly cooled and refrigerated for no more than 2–3 days; 25 g soft white bread crumb without crust; 60 ml milk; 30 g grated Parmesan; Salt and black pepper; 3 eggs: 1 for the loaf and 2 for the sauce; 20 g plain flour for coating; About 80 ml olive oil for shallow frying; only part is absorbed; 30 g butter for finishing the loaf; Juice of half a lemon.
Step 2
Remove visible fat from the cold cooked beef and mince the lean meat very finely. Cook the soft bread crumb with the milk over low heat for about 3–5 minutes until a thick paste forms, about 3 tablespoons. Spread in a shallow dish and cool promptly in the refrigerator.
Step 3
Mix the cold beef with the cooled bread paste, Parmesan, a little salt, pepper and one egg. Shape an oval loaf about 18 cm long and 4 cm thick. Coat lightly with the flour and keep cold until ready to cook.
Step 4
Heat the oil in a wide pan over moderate heat. Carefully shallow-fry the loaf, turning with two broad spatulas, until a firm golden crust forms on both broad sides, about 6–8 minutes per side. Keep the heat moderate so the crust does not burn before the centre heats through.
Step 5
Move directly to a snug pan with the butter. Colour both sides gently and continue until the centre reaches 74°C, about another 8–15 minutes as needed. This is one continuous reheating of the cooked beef, without an intervening cooling stage. Lift onto a warm platter and keep hot.
Step 6
Whisk the two remaining whole eggs with a small pinch of salt and juice of half a lemon in a small saucepan. Stir continuously over very gentle heat, preferably over barely simmering water, until thickened like a light custard and at 74°C. Do not boil. Pour over the hot loaf and serve immediately in slices.
Step 7
Ready-to-use stock may replace the milk in the same amount. For the water version of the bread paste, use 60 ml water with an extra 5 g butter instead of milk. Plain lard may replace the frying oil. A broad lid or plate can help turn a large loaf, but handle the hot pan and fat carefully.
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