July 1, 2016

Remember the famous episode of Friends when Rachel tries to cook a trifle and accidentally puts beef in it? Sounds like a pretty horrible kitchen faux pas. But tried-and-true Joey inhales the "dessert" as the others watch in disgust. He takes a breath long enough to say, "I mean, what's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!" After sampling this recipe, you might find you have more in common with Joey than you thought.

I have to say, I was a little skeptical of putting cream sauce and jam on meatballs. But, oh, how wrong I was! Sweden has dominated the meatball market, as far as I'm concerned.

This month's Try the World subscription box delivered a symphony of Swedish goods that could be used in several recipes. I made sure to sample it all individually before combining them into a dish.


Double Chocolate Crisps by Gille - These cookies were delicious and light. The cookie itself was crispy and crumbly, while the chocolate filling wasn't overly sweet. It pairs very well with another item in the box—coffee!

Kharisma Coffee by Löfbergs - I brewed this the night I opened the box. To me, the coffee tasted fairly mild but still flavorful. I tried it with cream too. Perfect for Fika (Swedish coffee break)!

Lingonberry Preserves by Hafi - This was my first time sampling Lingonberry—I'm sold! This jam was very tasty and beat traditional strawberry jam with its hint of chipotle kick.

Original Flatbread Crisps by Mörsjö Deli - Thin and crispy, these tasty snacks were the vehicle I used to sample the Lingonberry and Honey Mustard sauces. It went well with both! They would also be tasty with hummus.

Rosehip Fudge by Nordic Fudge - Not your traditional fudge, these melt-in-your-mouth goodies have a buttery, almost caramel taste to them. The texture is not as creamy as caramel, however. You won't have to worry about these getting caught in your teeth.

Sweet Licorice by Lakritsfabriken - Admittedly, I don't like licorice. But I had to give this a try anyway. It wasn't as terrible as others I have sampled, but it's still not my favorite.

Elderflower Saft Syrup by Tillmans - This is the only item I haven't tried. I'm waiting on a good cocktail recipe to make use of the syrup.

Sweet and Hot Mustard by Liss Ellas - This was my favorite of the box! Wow! It was the perfect balance of spicy and sweet, and I found myself wanting to put it on everything. Sandwiches, crackers...but I had to leave enough for the meatball recipe.

The recipe called for three items in the box:

Original Flatbread Crisps - These can be substituted with Panko crispy bread crumbs.

Lingonberry Preserves - Lingonberry jam can be found in most grocery stores, but it can also be purchased on IKEA's website.

Sweet and Hot Mustard - Again, find your favorite sweet and spicy mustard at your local store.

¼ cup Mörsjö Deli flatbread crisps, crumbled
4 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. Liss Ellas sweet and hot mustard
2 Tbsp. milk
1 egg
¼ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. salt
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
4 Tbsp. butter
Boiled potatoes, for serving
Cream Sauce, for serving (recipe below)
One 3 oz. jar Hafi lingonberry jam, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine the flatbread crisp crumbs, heavy cream, mustard, milk, egg, allspice, black pepper, and salt. Let rest 10 minutes.

2. Add the ground beef and pork and mix well.

3. Using your hands, roll the mixture into small balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) and distribute onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

4. Heat a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add the butter. Once it sizzles, add the meatballs and sear until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve immediately with boiled potatoes, cream sauce, and lingonberry jam.

CREAM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1qt. beef stock
1qt. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. Hafi lingonberry jam
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, bring the beef stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to reduce by half. Stir in the heavy cream and reduce to a third. Add the lingonberry jam and reduce 15 minutes more, until thick.

2. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper.