Known as the “Fake Hare” in Latvia and as meatballs in other parts of the world, it is a dish that reflects the historical German influence and Latvian frugality. In addition to being made from minced meat, bread, a few eggs and a choice of vegetables (all cheap and readily available), it stretches from a light supper to leftovers for breakfast or lunch sandwiches. Serve it with mashed potatoes, gravy and a light pickle salad (known in Latvia as Latgale salad) and you have a feast!
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion
- 300 g minced pork
- 300 g minced beef
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 grated carrot
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- For cucumber salad
- 8 cucumbers
- 1 large onion
- 1 bunch dill
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions:
For fillets of meat
Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F.
Finely chop the onion. Fry the chopped onion over a medium heat.
Mix together the onion, meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, carrots and garlic until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Flatten the meat mixture on a work surface and place the peeled, hard-boiled eggs on top. Cover the eggs with the meat to form a loaf.
Place the loaf in a greased baking dish so that the edges of the loaf do not touch the dish.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Baste the loaf occasionally with the pan juices.
Salad:
Peel the cucumbers and cut them lengthwise into quarters, then cut each quarter into slices.
Finely chop the onion. Chop the dill.
In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix the cucumbers, onion, dill, salt, sugar, vinegar and oil. Let the salad rest for at least a couple of hours before using.
