Food To Entertain: Swedish Meatballs

I channeled my inner swedish chef, and made swedish meatballs.  I must say, my inner swedish chef is pretty darn good.  They were melt in your mouth, delicious.  I made meatball subs slathered with a brown gravy that complimented the meatballs perfectly. Speaking of complimenting, bring these to your next get together and you're sure to get rave reviews!



Ingredients for Swedish Meatballs:

• 2 slices of fresh white bread
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 small sweet onion
• 1/4 cup white mushrooms
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Ingredients for Gravy:

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon red wine 
• 1/8 cup heavy cream

Steps for Swedish Meatballs:

In a blender, make bread crumbs out of the bread.

Add the milk to the bread crumbs, and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium-high heat.

Cut the onion into large chunks, and place them in the blender.  Puree the onion.

When the onion is pureed, add the mushrooms and puree until they are fully incorporated.

When the butter has melted, add the onion and mushroom puree to the pan.

Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.

While the onions are cooking, mix together the beef, the pork, the bread and milk mixture, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, together in a stand mixer.

When the onions are ready, add them to the meat mixture.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

Using your (clean) hands, measure out about a tablespoon of the mixture.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees F.

When the butter has melted, place the meatballs into the skillet.

Be sure not to over crowd the pan.

Brown the meatballs on all sides.  This should take about 10 minutes.

Transfer the meatballs to a oven safe baking dish, and place them in the oven.

Repeat this process until the meat is gone.

Once you have made all of your meatballs and put them into the oven, leave them in there to bake until the gravy is ready.

Steps for Gravy:

In the same pan that you add the flour.  If it is a bit too dry, add a little butter.

Once the flour and the butter and brown and fragrant, wisk in the beef broth, the heavy cream, the red wine, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Wisk over low heat until it thickens.

To make sub sandwiches, cut some nice soft french bread sandwich style.

Make bread boats by hallowing out the centers with your fingers.

Place 2 meatballs in each sandwich half.

Pour the gravy over the top.

Simply yum!