AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #4 SWEDEN - SWEDISH MEATBALLS (KOTTBULLAR)

Its time to put on the Abba CD and assemble some Ikea furniture - yes..... that's right I'm off to Sweden this week on my culinary adventure.

There is only 1 choice that springs to mind really for Sweden, and that's meatballs, here's what you'll need to cook traditional Swedish meatballs (or Kottbullar as they like to call them):

500g of minced pork/beef mixed (about 60% pork & 40% beef)

1/2 cup of milk

3/4 cup of white breadcrumbs

1 onion

1 egg

salt

white pepper

ground allspice

fresh dill

cranberry sauce

shredded cabbage

potatoes

butter

plain flour

500ml beef stock

Firstly to make the meatballs, peel and finely chop the onion (i used my new Kenwood mini chopper to whiz it up into finely chopped pieces) then gently fry in butter - once softened put in a mixing bowl with the beef & pork mince mixed together. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and when fully absorbed add to the mixing bowl, then add the egg, salt & pepper to season, and a couple of teaspoons of allspice. Finally add a good handfull of finely chopped fresh dill & mix together until all the ingredients are blended together nicely - if it is a bit too wet to make meatballs out of, then add a little more mince or dry breadcrumbs. (usefull tip - use a bigger mixing bowl than the one pictured below - I had to do a transfer as it was a tad too full!)

Meanwhile peel and put on some potatoes to boil in salted water for the mash. You can now make up your meatballs - I made 8 per person and they were about the size of pingpong balls.

Melt some butter in a large frying pan with a little oil and fry the meatballs for about 5-10 minutes until all sides are nicely browned. Remove balls from the pan and rest on a plate whilst you make the sauce. take off the heat - melt a bit more butter in the pan and add 2 tablespoons of plain flour stir until all the butter and juices in the pan have made a paste (add a little more butter or oil if needs be). A little at a time, add and stir/whisk in the beef stock until it has the consistency of a thick sauce. Add a blob or 2 of cranberry sauce and stir in. Put the meatballs back in the pan and turn down to a low heat to simmer.

Whilst the meatballs finish off, make up some creamy mash with plenty of fresh chopped dill. Shred some cabbage (i used savoy) and fry with some white pepper, salt and butter in a separate frying pan. 

to serve - dollop on a good helping of mash onto a plate, add couple of spoonfulls of the cabbage and then ladle on the meatballs and sauce.

Enjoy!

Countries to go: 76

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

#4 Sweden

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!