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Tomek Cooks

Swedish meatballs

beef and pork, mashed potatoes, peas, cream sauce

Makes 40 meatballsChill 2hFinish 10min at 180 °C

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Swedish classic.

Meatballs

1grate
2cook 6min, cool
3combine, rest 10min
4mix firmly 60s
5add
mix in, 1min
6test fry, adjust salt
7form 20g balls, chill 2h
8brown in batches
9180 °C, 10min, to 71 °C
40 meatballs

Ingredients

Method

Step 1

Finely grate the onion.

  • 35gfresh onion

Step 2

Cook it in 1 tsp neutral oil over medium-low heat for 6 minutes without browning. Cool completely.

  • Neutral oil, for cooking

Step 3

Combine the cooled onion, breadcrumbs and 70g cold water. Rest for 10 minutes.

  • 68gfine plain breadcrumbs
  • 70gice-cold water

Step 4

Mix the cold beef, pork and salt firmly for 60 seconds, until sticky.

  • 300gground beef
  • 300gground pork
  • 11gfine salt

Step 5

Add the egg, nutmeg, pepper and MSG. Mix in the breadcrumb-onion mixture, then mix firmly for another 1 minute.

  • 50gbeaten whole egg
  • 0.3gground nutmeg
  • 0.6gground white pepper
  • ¾gMSG

Step 6

Fry a small test portion and adjust the salt if necessary.

Step 7

Form into 20g balls. Actual yield: 40 meatballs. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Step 8

Brown in batches in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, turning frequently.

Step 9

Finish at 180 °C for approximately 10 minutes, until the centers reach 71 °C.

Mashed potatoes - 1 portion

1cut 3cm
2cold water, half the salt
3simmer 20min
4drain, dry 2min
5warm, no boil
6mash by hand
7fold in, rest of salt
Mashed potatoes

Ingredients

Method

Step 1

Cut the potatoes into equal 3cm pieces.

  • 125gpeeled floury potatoes

Step 2

Cover with cold water and add half the salt.

  • 1.25gfine salt

Step 3

Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, until completely tender.

Step 4

Drain thoroughly and return to the warm pan for 2 minutes to evaporate surface moisture.

Step 5

Warm the milk and butter together without boiling.

  • 19gwhole milk
  • 6gunsalted butter

Step 6

Mash the potatoes by hand, retaining a few very small lumps.

Step 7

Fold in the warm milk and butter, then add the remaining salt and nutmeg.

  • 0.04gground nutmeg

Green peas - 1 portion

1cover in a bowl
25min, stir once
3drain, serve
Green peas

Ingredients

Method

Step 1

Put the frozen peas in a bowl and cover with the lukewarm water.

  • 50gfrozen green peas
  • 150glukewarm water

Step 2

Leave for 5 minutes, stirring once.

Step 3

Drain thoroughly and serve plain.

Sauce - 1 serving

1melt
stir in, 1min
2whisk until smooth
3simmer 3min
4season
Sauce

Ingredients

Method

Step 1

Melt the butter over medium-low heat and stir in the flour. Cook for about 1 minute.

  • 1 tspbutter
  • ⅓ tspflour

Step 2

Gradually whisk in the demi-glace until smooth.

  • 60mldemi-glace

Step 3

Stir in the cream and simmer for 3 minutes, until slightly thickened.

  • 40mlheavy cream

Step 4

Season with black pepper.

  • Pinch of black pepper

Serve with lingonberry jam.