Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar) with Cream Gravy

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and halve any big ones so they are all a similar size. Put them in a 18 cm pot, cover with cold water and salt it well. Bring to the boil on high heat, then turn down to medium heat and simmer for 18 min, until a knife slides in easily. Make the meatballs while they cook.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 400 g

   high heat→medium heat

2. In a large bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 5 min until they form a thick paste; this is what keeps the meatballs juicy and tender. Grate the onion very finely, juice and all, and add it. Big onion pieces make the balls crack when you roll them.

   Add in this stepFine dry breadcrumbs (or panko) 20 gMilk 60 mlOnion ½

3. Add the beef, pork, egg, salt, white pepper and allspice and mix firmly with your hand for 1 min 30 sec, until the mixture turns sticky and clings to the side of the bowl.

   Add in this stepMinced beef 150 gMinced pork 150 gEgg, beaten ½Salt ½ tspWhite pepper 1 pinchGround allspice 1 pinch

4. With lightly wet hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, about 3 cm across, to make roughly 24. Keeping them the same size means they cook evenly. Set them on a plate without touching.

5. Heat the butter and oil in a 26 cm frying pan on medium heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the meatballs with space between them and fry for 9 min, shaking the pan so they roll and brown on all sides. If they don't all fit, fry in batches. They are done when evenly browned and one cut in half shows no pink inside (71 °C in the centre). Lift them onto a plate. Butter can spit, so keep your arms back.

   Add in this stepButter 15 gNeutral oil 1 tbsp

   medium heat

6. Turn the same pan down to medium-low heat, melt the remaining butter, sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 min, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Whisk in the stock a little at a time so no lumps form, then add the cream and soy sauce and simmer for 4 min, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Taste, season with salt and pepper, then return the meatballs and turn them in the gravy to heat through.

   Add in this stepButter 10 gPlain flour 1 tbspBeef stock 150 mlDouble cream 80 mlSoy sauce 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

7. Drain the potatoes and shake them in the dry pot for a moment to steam off the water. Plate the potatoes and meatballs, spoon over plenty of gravy and add a spoonful of lingonberry jam.

   Add in this stepLingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce) 2 tbsp