Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce

I think quite a few people on this island have been an IKEA restaurant at some point, whether they wanted to or not. The most popular dish served there is Swedish meatballs. In the Swedish Food Shop people can then buy frozen meatballs and the sachets of the divine cream sauce served with it. Here’s my version of the sauce + a basic meatball recipe.

Basic Meatball Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 400g mince meat
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 0.2l water

Method:

Mix breadcrumbs and water. Add salt and pepper and allow the breadcrumbs to swell in the water for approx 10 minutes. Add the mince meat and the egg. Mix until the mince is smooth, but not stringy. Start rolling the meatballs, approx 1 inch/2cm wide. TIP! Keep a bowl of water next to you to dip your hands into as it makes it easier to roll the meatballs and the meat won’t stick to your fingers quite as much.

Fry a handful of of meatballs at a time until nice and brown on the outside. I always keep a sauce pan with some warm water in the bottom (just a small amount) which I add the browned meatballs to and let them continue to gently simmer in the sauce pan. (This liquid can later be used as stock in the cream sauce as it’s been flavoured by the meatballs simmering in it).

TIP! Most people add sauteed onions, garlic, herbs and spices etc to the basic meatball recipe. Have fun playing around with your own favourite flavours! I quite like sundried tomato paste myself :-).

Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 0.4l beef stock (I use the liquid the meatballs have already been simmering in)
• Single (or double) cream to taste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Light soy sauce to taste

Method:

Melt butter in a pan. Add the flour and mix together. Once mixed, remove from heat and add the beef stock gradually, stirring continuously until the sauce is even and lump free. Return to hob and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the seasoning, soy sauce and cream to taste. (Cream will make the sauce taste ‘richer’)

Serve with new potatoes or mash and lingonberry jam. If you can’t get hold of the jam, cranberry sauce is a pretty good substitute.