Swedish meatballs with dill mash
This is a really good, balanced meal, full of the flavours of Scandinavia. Try serving with cranberry sauce and steamed green vegetables.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 200g/7oz Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 250g/9oz beef mince
- 250g/9oz pork mince
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- small bunch flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp single cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the allspice sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 400ml/14fl oz beef stock
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- pinch ground allspice
- 150ml/5fl oz single cream
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
For the mashed potatoes
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
To make the meatballs, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Tip into a large bowl and mix in the egg.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, or until soft, and add to the potato mixture.
Set aside 1 tablespoon of the beef mince for the sauce. Add the remaining beef mince and all the pork mince to the potato mixture, along with the allspice, half the parsley, the cream, a teaspoon of salt and a good pinch of pepper. Mix well. Roll the meatballs into 3cm/1¼in balls, cover with cling film and put in the fridge.
To make the sauce, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the reserved beef mince and the beef stock and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain into a jug.
Using the same saucepan, melt the remaining butter with the flour and allspice. Slowly pour the sauce back into the pan, whisking all the time, and allow to thicken. Stir in the cream, soy sauce and redcurrant jelly. Bring to a simmer and season to taste. Set aside.
Grease a large baking sheet with the remaining butter and put in the oven for 3 minutes. When hot, place all the meatballs on the sheet and return to the oven. Roast for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish. Turn off the oven and return the meatballs to the oven to keep warm.
To make the mashed potato, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and pass through a potato ricer back into the pan. Add the butter and milk and mash well using a potato masher. Season to taste and stir in the dill.
Reheat the sauce and pour over the meatballs. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and dill and serve with the mash.
