The Devil You Say!: 'Hell' Balls

In the quasi-excitement of a work deadline followed by a missing cab topped by a presidential candidates' debate, I completely missed posting the last of this week's recipes from Favourite Kentish Recipes! Apologies. The Devil made me do it.

'Hell' Balls

4 oz. cooked game
4 oz. cooked ham or lean, cooked bacon rashers
2 oz. chutney
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 or 3 stoned olives, chopped
1 tablespoon game gravy
1 large egg, beaten
2 oz. (approximately) fresh white breadcrumbs

Mince the game and the ham or bacon and mix thoroughly with the chutney, cayenne pepper, olives, gravy and 1 dessertspoon of the egg. Form the mixture into 12 balls and roll them first in the remaining beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Fry in shallow oil until golden brown. Serve with a side salad. Serves 2.

"Serve with a side salad." Hee! I'm sure a saucer of iceberg with a wedge of hot house tomato and a slathering of salad cream will be just the thing with my helping of six (six!) Hell Balls.

I'm sorry; 'Hell' Balls. Of course, the spicing and dicing and mixing makes it pretty clear this is hellish along the lines of a deviled egg being devilish. Still, it sounds like a good way to use up sundry leftovers in the fridge. And it's kind of fun to read a recipe that has olives and gravy all mixed up with chutney and bacon. It is everything one hopes and fears for in a British cookbook.

It also would taste damned good, I'd wager.

Credit for selecting this recipe goes to Chefly Husband, who also likes a good/bad recipe title.