Julkottbullar
(Swedish Meatballs for Yule)

7 ounces ground beef
7 ounces ground veal
3 1/2 ounces ground pork
1 egg
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped onions
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
2 small boiled potatoes, cold and mashed
white pepper
allspice
ginger
4 -5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
pan dripings or beef stock cooked down
salt
white pepper

1. Fry the onion light yellow in a little butter.
2. Soak the breadcrumbs in the liquid.
3. Mix everything well and add spices to taste.
4. Make 1- to 1 1/2-inch meatballs with the help of two wet spoons.
5. Put them on a plate coated with a little flour and fry them slowly on all sides in lots of butter (putting the meatballs in the freezer for a while before frying makes them firmer).
6. Place the meatballs on a hot plate, fry the flour in the remaining fat and pour in the stock and the cream.
7. Boil for a few minutes.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste and pour the hot sauce over the meatballs.
9. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and preserved lingonberry--or cranberry.

I admit I've not made these from scratch. I usually do what what my mother did--which is just make up a batch from IKEA. Someone else is always making either turkey or ham. I just make the meatballs and bring them in a crockpot with extra sauce.

If you prefer making your own Swedish meatballs from scratch, like the frozen ones IKEA sells, see the recipe below. The IKEA meatballs, aka Kottbullar, are made in the traditional way with no preservatives added. The IKEA cookbook advises: "When making your own, don't forget the allspice. Otherwise, the shop ones are always a handy and tasty solution." IKEA, Ikea's Real Swedish Food Book (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006), p 55

Meatballs with creame sauce
Service 4
30 to 40 Swedish meatballs "Kottbullar"

Ingredients:

250 grams minced beef
250 grams minced pork
1 egg
1-3 dl cream and water (or milk and water)
2-1/2 tablespoon onion, chopped fine
1/2 dl unsweetened rusk flour
2 cold boiled potatoes
4-5 tablespoons butter, margerine, or oil
white pepper (allspice)
salt

Heat the onion until golden in a couple of tablespoons of lightly browned butter, mash the potatoes and moisten the rusk flour in a little water. Mix all the ingredients into a smooth farce of the right consistency and flavour generously with salt, white peppper, and (optional) a little fine crushed allspice.

Using a pair of spoons rinsed in water, shape the farce into relatively large, round balls and transfer to a floured chopping board, then fry them quite slowly in plenty of butter.

1 dl cream
2 dl water or beef stock
Chinese soy
(1 tablespoon white flour)
white pepper
salt

Swirl out the pan with a couple of dl boiling water or meat stock. Strain the pan juices and dilute with cream. Thicken with white flour if preferred. Season well, and serve this and the meatballs with freshly boiled potatoes, uncooked lingonberry jam, a green salad and salted or pickled gherkins.

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