Authentic Swedish Meatballs

Even though I have made Swedish Meatballs before, I decided to try a new recipe this time. My husband said he actually liked them more than the first ones because he thinks they tasted very authentic. They had a little sweet flavor that really complemented the savory mixture. Luckily, we actually had lingonberry preserves and they were a great addition. I used whole wheat bread, which I thought was an excellent choice because it really added a great texture to the meatballs.

Meatballs:
1/2 onion, very finely chopped
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup milk (or a little more)
2 slices whole wheat bread, in small pieces
1 egg
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp black pepper

Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups beef broth, warmed
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp lingonberry preserves (can substitute raspberry or cranberry preserves)

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. When butter has melted, saute the onion until is has softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Mix milk and bread together and let soak for a few minutes. When the bread is soggy, puree it in a blender or a food processor. Then, mix all meatball ingredients together and combine thoroughly. Form meatballs and place them on a plate. I made 21 meatballs, although yours may be bigger or smaller.

Preheat a pan on medium with 3 Tbsp butter. When the butter is completely melted, place about half of the meatballs on the pan - be careful not to over crowd the pan. Brown them on all sides, turning them carefully. They do not need to be cooked all the way through at this point. When meatballs are brown, remove from pan and cook remaining meatballs. Remove them from the pan as well.

Use a whisk to stir flour into remaining butter. When it begins to sizzle, slowly add the beef broth, stirring constantly in order to form a smooth sauce. Return meatballs to pan and turn stove to medium-low. Cover, and simmer sauce with meatballs for about 10 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. Remove sauce from heat and place the meatballs in a serving dish. Stir sour cream and lingonberry preserves. Taste and reseason if necessary. Pour over meatballs. Serve over egg noodles.