Swedish Meatballs Recipe
cooking.nytimes.com
These mildly spiced meatballs are the essence of winter comfort food, just the kind of thing you’ll want to come in from a blustery day to enjoy Serve them with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, if you want something sweet.
Ingredients
| 1 | cup panko bread crumbs |
| ½ | cup warm milk |
| 4 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 1 | large onion, diced |
| 2 | teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed |
| 1 | tablespoon brandy |
| 1 ½ | tablespoons all-purpose flour |
| 1 | cup beef or chicken broth, low sodium or homemade |
| ½ | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional |
| 1 | pound ground beef |
| 1 | pound ground pork |
| 2 | large eggs |
| 2 | garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane or minced |
| ½ | teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
| ½ | teaspoon allspice |
| ¼ | teaspoon ground ginger |
| ¼ | teaspoon nutmeg |
| Pinch cloves | |
| Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed for drizzling | |
| Chopped fresh parsley or dill, for garnish |
Preparation Steps
- In a medium bowl, soak bread crumbs in warm milk while you prepare the onions.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir in onions and a pinch of salt and cook until pale golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer half the onions to a large bowl and set aside.
- Prepare sauce: Add brandy to skillet with onions and ignite with a long match or igniter (or if you’re using a gas stove, just swirl pan, brandy should catch fire). Let flame die down, then add the remaining butter, letting it melt. Sprinkle in flour. Sauté until flour browns, about 3 minutes. Whisk in broth, cream and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer, whisking, until reduced to a sauce, about 5 minutes. Add mustard, if you like, and season with more salt, if needed.
- To large bowl with onion, add remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, soaked bread crumbs, beef, pork, eggs, garlic, pepper, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Roll into 1-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each), placing them on one or two rimmed baking sheets as you go.
- Heat broiler. Drizzle meatballs with oil. Broil meatballs, switching pans' positions if using more than one so they both get close to the broiler, until well browned all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with gravy, garnished with herbs.
Serves
- 4 persons
Time
- Total: