Frikadelle are flat, pan-fried meatballs of minced meat, often likened to the Danish version of meatballs. The origin of the dish is unknown. The term "frikadelle" is German but the dish is associated with, not only German, but also Danish, Scandinavian and Polish cuisines. They are one of the most popular meals in Poland, where they are known as "mielone". There are various local variants of frikadelle throughout Scandinavia, as both a main course and a side dish. In Sweden, frikadeller are boiled and not pan-fried.
Etymology
The origin of the word is uncertain. According to the Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, it can be found end of the 17th century in German, and is related to the Italian 'frittatella', French 'fricandeau', and Latin 'frīgere'. It may be derived from fricandeau de veau, a dish of sliced veal, larded with pork fat. In the Dictionnaire des dictionnaires 'fricadelle' is defined as, "In Belgium, a ball of minced, cooked meat" and a separate word, 'fricadèle', is defined as "fricandeau". And in Phillips's New World of Words "Fricandoe, a sort of Scotch Collops made of thin slices of Veal, well larded and stuff'd." The Oxford English Dictionary defines 'fricandele' as a "quasi-French form of fricandeau".
Other variations
Frikadel are also known in Indonesian cuisine through Dutch cuisine influence and called perkedel, however the main ingredient is not meat, but mashed potato, sometimes slightly mixed with ground meat or corned beef. The mixture is then shaped into flat round patties and dipped in egg yolk before being deep fried. Other than mashed potato, cabe rawit, spring onion, shrimp, peeled corn, or mashed tofu fritters are also common as perkedel ingredients. In Denmark, traditionally, they are made from minced veal, pork or beef ; chopped onions; eggs; milk ; bread crumbs ; salt; and pepper; then formed into balls and flattened somewhat. They are then pan-fried in pork fat or beef fat, or more commonly in modern times in butter, margarine or even vegetable oil. Another popular variation is fiskefrikadeller replacing the meat with fish as the main ingredient and often served with remoulade. As a main dish they are most often served with boiled white potatoes and gravy accompanied by pickled beetroot or cooked red cabbage. Alternatively they can be served with creamed, white cabbage. Frikadeller are also eaten on rugbrød with red cabbage or pickle slices as a traditional Danish smørrebrød The combination of frikadeller and a coldpotato salad is very popular at picnics or potlucks, due to the ease of transporting either component after cooking.
