“Love is not the softest force but often the fiercest.” – Krista Tippett
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
Seen at this week’s Family Night: Papa John proudly standing between his two grandsons, both standing taller than he does… both fiercely loved for their talented spirits, each reflected in their unique stance. Tene loving a gridlocked game of Chinese checkers played with all three grandkids.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Our daughter called on Tuesday and asked if we had decided on the menu for Wednesday night dinner yet… she said she was craving IKEA Swedish meatballs and offered to come and help make them. That’s an offer that’s hard to refuse! She found this copycat recipe at recipetineats.com What intrigued me the most about the recipe was soaking fresh bread in grated onion to add to the meatball mix.
SWEDISH MEATBALLS a la Ikea
MEATBALLS
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, chopped into small cubes
- 1 small onion, brown, white or yellow
- 1 1/3 pound ground beef (or half and half with ground pork)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon All Spice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
GRAVY
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups beef broth/stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Grate onion using a standard grater. Scrape onion and juices into a bowl. Add bread and mix well. If bread it doesn’t make bread soggy add a splash of milk. Set aside to soak for 1 minute.
Add remaining meatball ingredients except oil. Mix well.
Using a tablespoon size scoop to measure out heaped tablespoons of meat mixture onto a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet. Then roll into shape.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add meatballs without crowding in two separate batches and brown all over, about 3 minutes. Meatballs will still be raw inside. Remove to a plate.
To make the gravy, add butter to the skillet and melt. Add flour and stir, making a roux. Cook 1 minute.
While mixing, add about 1/4 of the beef broth, it will thicken quickly. Then gradually ad remaining beef broth, whisking as you go.
When liquid is simmering, add meatballs and juices pooled on the plate. Turn up heat slight to keep it at a raid simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the liquid thickens into a thin gravy, stirring occasionally.
Add cream simmer for another 2 minutes then remove from stove.
Serve over mashed potatoes with a dollop of lingonberry jam on the side.