Swedish Meatballs with potato puree and brown sauce

DESCRIPTION

One of the best dishes there is, and Sweden's national dish for a reason: meatballs with buttery potato puree, brown sauce, sugared lingonberries and pickled cucumber! Damn good!

Since I got a tiny bit of OCDI like my meatballs the same size and round, not oval. I somewhat succeed with that by using a ice cream scoop to measure up the balls the same size, and roll them using wet hands. Apart from that, I roll them again just before adding them to the pan. The first part of the frying is done swirling the pan around, improving their round shape even more.

INGREDIENTS (6-8 Portions)

Meatballs

• 1 kg minced beef/por, ratio 70/30 if possible, otherwise 50/50 works as well

• 2 dl breadcrumbs

• 1 dl double cream

• 1 dl milk

• 2 finely chopped onions fried in butter 10-15 min, chilled

• 1 raw grated onion

• 1 tbsp Japanese soy

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp salt, lots of freshly ground black pepper

Sugared lingonberries

• 225 g lingonberries

• 100 g sugar

Pickled cucumber

• 1 cucumber

• 0,5 dl vinegar ("ättika", 12% acidity)

• 1 dl sugar

• 1,5 dl water

• 0.5 tsp salt

Brown sauce

• Everything from when frying the meatballs that's left in the pan

• 3 dl double cream

• 1-3 dl milk, depending on how long you boil it and personal thickness preference

• 1 tbsp beef stock

• 1 dl water

• 1 tbsp blackberry telly or sugared lingonberries

• 1 tbsp Chinese soy

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Potato Puree

• 1 kg potato

• 250 g butter

• 2-3 dl milk

• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

• 0.5-1 tsp salt

• Freshly ground white pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Meatballs: combine all ingredients. Roll balls. Fry in butter on medium heat, shaking the pan to keep them round.

2. Sugared lingonberries: combine. Let sit at least 30 min to let the sugar dissolve.

3. Pickled cucumber: thinly slice the cucumber, preferably on a mandolin (1 mm). Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a can, shake until it has dissolved. Add cucumber. Let sit at least 20 min.

4. Sauce: when done frying the meatballs, add the stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan so everything comes together. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency with salt/soy and/or cream/milk.

5. Potato puree: peel and boil the potatoes in generously salted water until really soft. Bring the milk to a boil. Cut the butter in cubes.

6. Whisk the potatoes with an electric hand-mixer and gradually add the hot milk. Once incorporated, add the cubed butter in batches and whisk until it’s all incorporated. Taste and season with salt, nutmeg and white pepper.

7. Serve the meatballs with all the sides and potato puree, top with chervil!

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