Swedish Meatballs
Swedish Meatballs are one of our family traditions for the holiday dinner table – not only are they easy to make but a great dish for a buffet dinner or cocktail party. There are many variations to the recipe you can make: a white sauce with dill and sour cream, a red wine or tomato sauce, or a brown beef gravy sauce with allspice and sour cream which is my Grandmother’s recipe that my Mom always used to make.
You can also substitute frozen or pre-made meatballs (Swedish meatballs or plain, not Italian-style) if you don’t feel like making your own, but either way they are delicious and a surefire hit at the dinner table.
The meatballs are great served over hot buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes with a side of Lingonberry or Cloudberry sauce, which you can find online at Swedish and Finnish grocery sites and Amazon.com. Saute some julienned veggies such as carrots and zucchini and squash to serve on the side along with a glass of crisp white wine or Glogg, a Swedish mulled wine that is a traditional drink served at Christmas.
Happy Holidays!
Braised Swedish Meatballs
Yield: Makes approx. 50 meatballs.
Ingredients
2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb lean ground pork
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 egg, well beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced parsley, plus 1 tbsp for garnish
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
dash of celery salt
dash of allspice or nutmeg
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 jar beef gravy (or homemade gravy if you prefer)
1-2 tbsp sherry (optional)
1/2 tsp allspice or nutmeg
1/2 cup of sour cream
hot buttered noodles or mashed potatoes
Lingonberry sauce or Cloudberry sauce
Instructions
Combine first eleven ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown meatballs in 2 tbsp oil; pour off fat. Alternatively, you can bake the meatballs on a cookie sheet for 15 mins on 350 degrees F., drain grease and then bake another 10 mins. and pour into a large dutch oven or casserole on the stovetop.
Combine remaining ingredients (gravy, sherry, allspice or nutmeg) except for the sour cream; pour over meatballs. Simmer 20 minutes. If the gravy seems too thick, you can thin it with a bit of water to the desired consistency. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream; continue cooking until heated through. Do not boil. Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes, garnish with additional parsley and a side of Lingonberry or Cloudberry sauce. Goes great with a crisp, Alsatian white wine such as Riesling or Gerwurstraminer, and a side of sauteed veggies.
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