Swedish Meatballs
This familiar Swedish dish can be terrifyingly high in calories due to the creamy gravy. I've made this version as lean as possible, but it still has all the traditional flavours. Garnish with fresh dill and serve with a little cranberry sauce if you like.
Ingredients
- 250 g lean minced beef
- 250 g minced pork
- 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh dill, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 15 g flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
- 50 g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- oil, for spraying or brushing
- ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp lingonberry or cranberry sauce, to serve
- For the gravy
- oil, for spraying for brushing
- 1/2 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 750 ml beef stock, made with 1 beef stock cube
- 2 tsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp single cream
- flaked sea salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make the meatballs, place the beef and pork mince into the bowl of a food processor with the onion, garlic, herbs, breadcrumbs and salt. Blend until a thick paste is formed, similar to sausage meat. Divide the mixture into 20 portions and roll into small, neat balls.
- Spray or brush a large, deep non-stick frying pan with the oil and fry the meatballs for 6-8 minutes, or until nicely browned. Roll and turn the meatballs around in the pan as they brown to prevent them becoming flattened on the side. Transfer them to a medium saucepan or saute pan using a slotted spoon.
- To make the gravy, spray or brush a little oil in the same pan used to fry the meatballs. Fry the onion over a low heat for 3 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring regularly. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir well.
- Slowly stir in the stock, then add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer, stirring continuously. The gravy may have become a little lumpy, but keep stirring (using a silicone whisk preferably), and it should come together. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring continuously. Season and strain the gravy through a sieve into the pan with the meatballs.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely and cook for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are tender, stirring occasionally. Add a little extra stock or water if the sauce has reduced too much. Remove the lid, stir in the cream and increase the heat under the pan.
- Simmer the gravy for a further 2-3 minutes or until thickened enough to lightly coat the meatballs. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.
Notes
Freeze the cooled gravy- coated meatballs in labelled zip-seal bags or freezer-proof containers for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat thoroughly in a large, wide based saucepan, stirring gently until piping hot.