Foodedo recipe

Swedish-Style Meatballs with Creamy Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and Quick-Pickled Cucumber

Name: Swedish-Style Meatballs with Creamy Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and Quick-Pickled Cucumber
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.2 kg floury potatoes (peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks); 150 ml whole milk (for the mash); 50 g unsalted butter (for the mash); 1 cucumber (about 350 g, halved lengthways if very seedy, then thinly sliced); 75 ml white wine vinegar (for the quick pickle); 75 ml water (for the quick pickle); 1 tbsp caster sugar; 10 g dill (roughly chopped); 250 g beef mince (10% fat works well); 250 g pork mince; 1 small brown onion (finely grated); 50 g dried breadcrumbs (white breadcrumbs); 1 egg; 60 ml whole milk (for the meatball mixture); 0.5 tsp ground allspice; 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 tbsp rapeseed oil; 1 small brown onion (thinly sliced); 25 g unsalted butter (for the gravy); 20 g plain flour; 400 ml beef stock (made with 1 stock cube); 150 ml double cream; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tsp fine salt (plus extra to taste); 1 tsp black pepper (plus extra to taste)

65 min ·

Tender beef and pork meatballs in a creamy savoury gravy, served with buttery mashed potatoes and sharp quick-pickled cucumber.

Ingredients

26 items

1.2 kgfloury potatoespeeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
150 mlwhole milkfor the mash
50 gunsalted butterfor the mash
1cucumberabout 350 g, halved lengthways if very seedy, then thinly sliced
75 mlwhite wine vinegarfor the quick pickle
75 mlwaterfor the quick pickle
1 tbspcaster sugar
10 gdillroughly chopped
250 gbeef mince10% fat works well
250 gpork mince
1small brown onionfinely grated
50 gdried breadcrumbswhite breadcrumbs
1egg
60 mlwhole milkfor the meatball mixture
½ tspground allspice
¼ tspground nutmeg
2 tbsprapeseed oil
1small brown onionthinly sliced
25 gunsalted butterfor the gravy
20 gplain flour
400 mlbeef stockmade with 1 stock cube
150 mldouble cream
1 tspDijon mustard
1 tspWorcestershire sauce
2 tspfine saltplus extra to taste
1 tspblack pepperplus extra to taste

Recipe notes (3)

Note: The cucumber needs at least 20 minutes to pickle lightly, but it can sit for up to 1 hour in the fridge while you cook.
Note: Draining and holding the potatoes off the heat prevents them becoming waterlogged if they finish a little before the meatballs and gravy.
Note: If the gravy thickens more than you like while the meatballs finish cooking, loosen it with a small splash of hot water.

Method

11 steps

Step 1. Start with the quick-pickled cucumber. In a medium bowl, mix the white wine vinegar, water, caster sugar, chopped dill and 1/2 tsp of the salt until the sugar has dissolved. Add the sliced cucumber, toss well and set aside to lightly pickle while you cook, stirring once or twice.
Step 2. Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the 60 ml milk and leave for 2 minutes to soak. Add the beef mince, pork mince, grated onion, egg, allspice, nutmeg, 1 tsp of the salt and 1/2 tsp of the black pepper. Mix with clean hands until evenly combined, but do not overwork it.
Step 3. Shape the mixture into 16-20 meatballs, about golf-ball size, and place them on a plate or tray. Keep the raw meat and anything it touches away from the cucumber and other ready-to-eat ingredients, and wash your hands, board and utensils after handling it.
Step 4. Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15-18 minutes until the chunks are completely tender and break easily when pressed with a knife.
Step 5. While the potatoes cook, heat 1 tbsp of the rapeseed oil in a large 30 cm frying pan or sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Fry half the meatballs for 6-8 minutes, turning every minute or so, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a clean plate, add the remaining oil and brown the second batch the same way. Do not crowd the pan; they will finish cooking in the gravy.
Step 6. If the potatoes become tender before the gravy is ready, drain them well, leave them in the colander for 1 minute to steam dry, then return them to the warm pan and cover loosely off the heat so they do not sit in water.
Step 7. Turn the heat under the frying pan down to medium. Add the 25 g butter and the sliced onion with a small pinch of salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Step 8. Gradually whisk in the beef stock, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the double cream, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and beginning to thicken.
Step 9. Return the meatballs and any resting juices to the pan. Spoon the gravy over them, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the meatballs are cooked through and the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Check the centre of the thickest meatball with a clean probe thermometer; it must reach 75°C for 30 seconds, or 70°C for 2 minutes.
Step 10. Mash the potatoes in the warm saucepan with the 50 g butter and 150 ml milk until smooth. If they have cooled, warm them over a low heat for 1-2 minutes while mashing. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Step 11. Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with the remaining black pepper and more salt if needed. Drain the cucumber lightly, then serve the mashed potatoes topped with the meatballs and creamy gravy, with the quick-pickled cucumber alongside.