169 Sweden – Köttbullar med gräddsås

Köttbullar med gräddsås

This is an easy and delicious meal and could definitely be made on a week night in less than an hour’s time.  Köttbullar med gräddsås (meatballs with cream sauce) are a smaller version of Swedish meatballs. These meatballs are light and delicate, almost cake-like, and quite flavorful.  Accompanied by mashed potatoes, traditional Pressgurka (pressed cucumbers), which is best made ahead of time, and lingonberries makes a hearty and delicious meal.

Ingredients

Meatballs

4 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs

4 tbsp milk or water

225 g (8 oz) pork mince

225 g (8 oz) veal or beef mince

2 tbsp grated onion*

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 or 4 whole allspice, crushed

salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tbsp butter, for frying

*The onion is better grated than chopped

Cream sauce

300 ml (1¼ cups) hot water

½-1 beef stock cube

2 tbsp plain flour (all purpose flour)

100 ml (7 tbsp) milk or water

½-1 tsp soy sauce

2-3 tbsp cream

Instructions

1. Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and add 4 tablespoons of milk or water. Leave them to absorb the liquid for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the mince, grated onion, egg, allspice and seasoning. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until evenly mixed. Don’t over mix or the meatballs will be heavy.

3. Take a tablespoon of mixture and roll it until it is nice and round. (Rinse your hands in cold water if the mixture is too sticky.) Repeat until you have used up all the mixture, by which time you should have between 30 and 40 meatballs.

4. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over a medium high heat until the butter stops sizzling. Fry half the meatballs, shaking the pan frequently when you first add them. When they are nicely browned, turn down the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pan and keep warm.

5. Add another tablespoon of butter and fry the remaining meatballs in the same way as in step

6. When the meatballs are cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the warm water and use it to scrap up all the meaty bits in the pan. Bring it up to the boil and let it simmer for a minute or two.

7. Sieve the mixture into a saucepan, add the stock cube and stir until dissolved.

8. Mix the flour with the milk or water and stir until dissolved. Pour into the saucepan, whisking continuously as you do so. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.

9. Add the soy sauce and cream. Heat for another couple of minutes, stirring continuously. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

10. Serve the meatballs with rårörda lingon, mashed potatoes, pressed cucumber and a light coating of the sauce. Pour the rest of the cream sauce into a jug for people to help themselves to if they want more.

Original recipe found here:

http://www.swedishfood.com/swedish-food-recipes-main-courses/44-meatballs