Cooking: Swedish Meatballs · Society of Ordinary Gents

Cooking: Swedish Meatballs

"It's an Earth food. They are called Swedish meatballs. It's a strange thing, but every sentient race has its own version of these Swedish meatballs. I suspect it's one of those great universal mysteries which will either never get explained or which will drive you mad if you ever learned the truth."

~Andreas Katsulas/G'Kar from Babylon 5

Ah yes, my inner SciFi nerd strikes again - this time, with trying a new recipe.

Well, that, and considering the nature of the sense of humor Al and I tend to share, maybe I just wanted everyone to behold my glorious globular balls! That's right, step right up to get your eyes tea-bagged!

I settled on this recipe from The Recipe Critic.

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 pound ground beef, 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ cup onion, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 egg. Mix until combined.
Roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
Add 4 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons flour to the skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in 2 cups beef broth and 1 cup heavy cream. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add the meatballs back to the skillet and reduce to a simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

OUTCOME

In the tradition of keeping a culinary journal for the last 20 years since I attended culinary arts school, a good cook/chef always critiques his creation, and ponders how he may improve upon it next time.

Personally, I found the seasonings simply weren't enough. Next time, I plan to double up. I also realized too late that I didn't have nutmeg, but I did have Garam Masala. Next time, I'm investing in the nutmeg to see if it truly makes any difference.

I'm also considering if I should get the fattier ground beef instead of lean for the sake of flavor and retaining seasoning.

Also, I forgot to get the egg noodles! I served it instead on two slices of bread, which was pretty tasty. I have plenty left over, and I'll be going to the store in 30 mins to grab a few items I missed earlier (and to see if the same cute Latina cashier is there again who actually chatted ME up while in line last time).

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