Swedish style Meatballs and Buttery Mash

Swedish style Meatballs and Buttery Mash. Last weekend Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision song contest. I think the last time I watched the Eurovision was as a student and coincidentally that was also when I visited Scandinavia. I can remember the beautiful scenery. The scarily expensive beer. Mountains of delicious seafood. Smorgasbords. Brunost, a creamy caramel flavoured whey cheese. And of course, the meatballs.

Since then, Swedish meatballs have become really popular in the UK with the expansion of IKEA and their in-house cafes. I can remember them in a rich creamy sauce served with pickled cucumber or lingonberry jam and buttery mashed potato. They are usually small, made from minced beef or a mix of beef and pork. There are lots and lots of recipes, but most seem to agree on using pepper, nutmeg, and allspice as key flavourings.

Swedish Meatballs

The Swedish name for a meatball is köttbullar and popular history has it that the recipe was bought back from the Ottoman Empire by King Charles XII. He spent five years there in a state of exile after losing a disastrous battle to the Russians. During this time, he would certainly have had time to develop a taste for many of the empire’s dishes.  He is also supposed to have introduced coffee another import. What we do know is that in 1755 the first recipe for meatballs was published in a book alongside one for kötbullar. This is a dish similar to the Turkish dolma, a stuffed cabbage leaf. The book was written by a chef for a family with close connections to the King.

MEAL MATES – COOK, SHARE, CARE

In Jersey, like the rest of the British Isles, we have an increasing number of people and families struggling with food poverty. So I am proud to be creating some costed recipes for the terrific local Jersey charity Caring Cooks. These are great tasty and nutritious dishes everyone can enjoy. However the aim is to cook a little extra to share. This can be with someone you know who maybe struggling or just a single neighbour or elderly relative. So each recipe is costed out to feed six or eight people. I would encourage anyone who can cook to think about those less fortunate and try to help.

Swedish style Meatballs with Buttery Mash

For the meatballs you can use all beef if you prefer. I think the minced pork makes them a little less heavy. You could even use minced turkey if you want to lower the fat content. This is a very versatile recipe. Change the herb to thyme and they are delicious with onion gravy and mash. If you change the dill for dried basil they are very good served in a rich tomato sauce with pasta.

For the mash use a floury potato like a King Edward or a baking potato for the best results. In Sweden the recipe can be made with cream or with sour cream for a more tangy finish. You can achieve the same result add the lemon juice. If you are allergic to fish omit the Worcestershire sauce.

Swedish style Meatballs with Buttery Mash Costings

The recipe is costed for six servings. Price per serving £17.31 or £2.89 per person, not including vegetable side. 450 gr Beef Mince £3.69, 500 gr Pork Mince £3.99, 3 slices White Bread £0.30, 2 White Onions £0.84, 3 cloves Garlic £0.20, 1 Egg £0.24, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce £0.20, 4 tablespoon fresh Dill £1.39, 2 pinches of Allspice £0.12, fresh Nutmeg £0.12, Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper £0.30, 250 ml Jersey Double Cream £1.99, 1 Lemon £0.48, 50 ml good quality Olive Oil £0.41, 2 tablespoons Plain Flour £0.10, 1 Beef stock cube £0.18, 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard £0.25, 1½ kg Floury Potatoes £1.89, 125ml Full fat Jersey Milk £0.20, 50 gr Jersey Butter £0.42

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5 from 1 vote

Swedish Style Meatballs with Buttery Mash

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine American, English, Scandinavian

Keyword Beef, Main, Meat, Meatballs

Servings 6 people

Author Christian Gott – An Island Chef

Cost £2.89

Equipment

• Large Pan with a lid
• Large heavy-bottomed Frying Pan
• Potato ricer or masher

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 450 gr Beef Mince
• 500 gr Pork Mince
• 3 slices White Bread crusts removed
• 2 White Onions peeled and very finely chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
• 1 fresh fresh Free-range Egg
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoon fresh Dill finely chopped
• A couple of generous pinches Allspice
• A good grating fresh Nutmeg
• Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• 50 ml good quality Olive Oil for frying

For the sauce

• 250 ml thick Jersey Double Cream reserve 2 tablespoons for the mash
• Juice 1 Lemon freshly squeezed ( Optional )
• 2 tablespoons Plain Flour
• 300 ml Beef Stock made with one stock cube
• 1 heaped tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh Dill finely chopped
• Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

For the mash

• 1½ kg Floury Potatoes peeled and cut into even pieces
• 125 ml Full fat Jersey Milk
• 50 gr Jersey Butter
• 2 tablespoons Double Cream
• Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Instructions

For the meatballs

• Blitz the bread in a food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs.
• In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Don’t overwork the mixture just mix until it comes together in one mass.
• Cover with cling film and chill thoroughly before shaping into eighteen small balls.
• In a large frying pan, heat the oil the fry the meatballs in batches, until browned and cooked through. Turn two- or three-times during cooking. Carefully remove, cover with silver foil and keep warm. Do not clean the pan.

For the sauce

• Sprinkle the flour into flour into the pan you cooked the meatballs and return to a gentle heat. Stir until it turns golden brown. This is called a roux.
• Boil the kettle and prepare the stock.
• Slowly stir the stock into the roux and add the mustard and cream. Return to a a simmer and cook out the sauce for five minutes stirring regularly.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the lemon if required.
• Add the dill and the meatballs and gently simmer for five more minutes before serving.

For the mash

• As you are cooking the meatballs, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil add half a teaspoon of salt and the potatoes.
• Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Cook for about fifteen to twenty minutes until soft.
• Carefully strain then return to the pan. Put over a very low heat for a couple of minutes to dry out the potatoes or your mash will be sloppy. Remove from the heat.
• Warm the milk, cream, and butter in a small pan, then pour over the potatoes.
• Using a ricer or potato masher mix until smooth. Season.

Notes

Allergens in this recipe are;

 

    Check your stock cube for celery

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