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Hilda was my best friend's mom. German born, she left for East Africa in the early 1920s when she was 16 to start a tea plantation on land that one of her uncles owned. Eventually she met and married George, a British Civil Service District Commissioner in Kenya, British East Africa. My friend was born and grew up there.
A few years before her death in her 90s, she visited with us for a few weeks. George had died a few years before (at 99!).
Miz t. had roasted a chicken and was going to make some dressing. Just standard quick StoveTop stuff. Hilda saw the package and said "Oh, let me make rissoles!" "What are rissoles?" "Some have meat in them, but I like the ones made from bread crumbs and herbs. I'll show you." Have at it lady.
"You haf zome zizzors?" She still had a bit of an accent, although it was mainly English, with just a shade of German overlay. I gave her a pair and she headed for our herb garden. She grabbed a handful of just about everything there. Rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, taragon, mint, oregano...I lost count.
She chopped it all up, added some chopped onion and sauteed it all for a few minutes. The added some canned chicken broth and the StoveTop Stuffing mix. When it cooled, she grabbed handfuls and made patties. About burger sized.
Then she sauteed those until they were crisp and brown (almost black) on the outside. MAN-OH-MAN!!! Just delicious. I never want dressing another way again.
And that's what we're having tonight with a grilled chicken breast and some butter beans. Bon apetit, y'all. :-)
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