Swedish meatballs are more than just food; they represent a piece of Swedish heritage that has found its way into kitchens and restaurants globally.
The Swedish word for meatball, ‘Kottbullar’, first appeared in print around 1754. They are traditional Swedish ‘old-world’ fare at Smorgasbords and other festive occasions. Initially Swedish meatballs were only enjoyed by upper class Swedes but the increased availability of wood stoves and meat grinders in the 1850’s made meatballs accessible to the middle class as well. In northern Scandinavian countries beef was considered a luxury item, which meant meatballs were highly prized.
The meat content can vary based on geography. In southern Sweden, they are most often a 50/50 mix of beef and pork whereas further north in Sweden 70/30 of beef to pork is typical. Likely other options would be veal, venison, lamb or moose. Size-wise, they are smaller than those of Italy or Germany, typically not larger than a golf ball or smaller than ¾-inch across.
Traditional Swedish meatballs are seasoned with a hint of nutmeg, that adds warmth and depth to the meatballs, along with allspice that complements the nutmeg as well as salt & pepper. This blend of spices gives them their distinctive flavor.
In America, Swedish meatballs were very popular in the beginning of the 20th century and again in the 1950’s-1960′. But as is with many dishes, they continue to be re-invented into new concepts such as this Swedish meatball noodle bake. They are cherished for their rich blend of flavors and are a testament to the intersection of history, culture, and cuisine.
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Swedish Meatball Noodle Bake
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Instructions
Meatballs
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil & spray with baking spray.
In a bowl, combine all meatball ingredients & form into balls. Place on foil lined baking sheet & bake for 10 minutes or until cooked. Remove from oven & place on paper towel to drain off any excess drippings.
Cook noodles until al dente. Drain & set aside.
Sauce
In a saucepan, melt butter. Cook the onions & mushrooms until tender, approximately 3-5 minutes. Mix in flour & cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the beef broth & Worcestershire sauce. Heat to simmer & cook until thickened. Reduce heat to low & add sour cream & heavy cream. Season with salt & pepper.
Add the noodles, sauce & meatballs to a prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until sauce is thickened & bubbling.
Garnish with sliced green onion. Nice to serve with roasted cherry tomatoes on the side.
Recipe Notes
- You will probably notice I haven't used the traditional spices (nutmeg & allspice). Brion & I love Swedish meatballs but with a different combo of spices. Feel free to use what works for you.
CELEBRATING CINCO de MAYO!
Cinco de Mayo commemorates a regional Mexican military battle, but it has evolved to become an important celebration of Mexican culture. Cinco de Mayo is not a major holiday in Mexico. In fact, it’s even considered a minor holiday in the region where it is observed, Puebla. It commemorates the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, when a small band of Mexican fighters defeated French invaders. It has nothing to do with Mexican independence, contrary to what a lot of North Americans may think.
Today Cinco de Mayo is celebrated extensively in the United States and to a lesser degree around the world, including here in Canada. Decorations use the red, white and green colors of the Mexican flag. There are the sounds of traditional folk music from Mexico. Schools use the celebration to teach about Mexican culture and the Spanish language.
Like any celebration of an important date, food typically plays a significant role in traditions. For the occasion I decided to go with some tender flakey empanadas loaded with ground beef, pork, potatoes, and spices. To keep it even more ‘authentic’, the filling is encased in a cornmeal pastry.
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Meat & Potato Empanadas
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Instructions
Pastry
In a small bowl, combine sour cream & ice water: set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ½ cup cornmeal, sugar & salt. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut in butter until mixture resembles both coarse crumbs & small peas. Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixture over dough, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. Do NOT overwork dough.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least an hour.
Filling
Bring potatoes to a boil in salted water. Simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well and mash.
While potatoes are cooking, brown ground beef, pork, onion, and garlic until no pink remains using a spoon to break it up. Add remaining ingredients (including mashed potatoes) except for breadcrumbs.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until thickened. Add 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs to help the mixture hold together if needed. Cool for 20 minutes.
Assembly/Baking
Divide chilled pastry into 10 balls. Roll each one in cornmeal. Place a ball between 2 sheets of plastic wrap & roll into a 6-inch circle.
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Divide the filling into 10 portions. Place a portion on one side of the pastry circle, leaving about a ½-inch border (on filled side). Flip the opposite side over filling & press edges together to enclose it well. Use a fork to make the classic look.
Repeat with the remaining pastry & filling. Lay empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until pastry is baked & slightly browned.
There are so many great things to make with tortillas. You can load up burritos for breakfast, stuff some quesadillas with shrimp or make tortilla chips and cover them with cheese, guacamole and spicy salsa.
A tortilla quiche combines a classic breakfast quiche and a tortilla tart without having the traditional pastry crust.
Breakfast for supper is always good with Brion & I. Making this meal a day ahead of serving it allows the flavors to become exceptional.
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Mexicali Quiche w/ Avocado & Roasted Tomatoes
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Ingredients
- 250 gm lean, ground pork
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 125 gm mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup canned, corn niblets, drained
- 540 ml black beans, rinsed
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk OR 1/2 & 1/2 cream
- 2 Tbsp green chili peppers, seeded & chopped. optional
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 150 gm Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 large corn or flour tortillas
- 18-24 cherry tomatoes/olive oil
- 2 avocados, mashed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
Ingredients
- 250 gm lean, ground pork
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 125 gm mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup canned, corn niblets, drained
- 540 ml black beans, rinsed
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk OR 1/2 & 1/2 cream
- 2 Tbsp green chili peppers, seeded & chopped. optional
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 150 gm Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 large corn or flour tortillas
- 18-24 cherry tomatoes/olive oil
- 2 avocados, mashed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
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Instructions
In a skillet, cook ground pork, onion, mushrooms & garlic. Cook until meat is brown & crumbly & moisture has mostly evaporated from the mushrooms. Stir in corn, beans, chili powder & cumin. Remove from heat.
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In a bowl combine eggs, milk, green chili peppers (if using), salt & pepper. Grate cheese.
Lightly butter bottom of an 8-inch baking dish. Place one of the tortillas on the bottom of dish; sprinkle with a bit of grated cheese & top with half of the pork mixture. Tear other tortilla into pieces & place on top then sprinkle with a bit more cheese & remaining pork mixture.
Carefully pour milk mixture over quiche then top with remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until set.
While the quiche is baking, place cherry tomatoes in a foil lined baking pan, drizzle with olive oil & roast until skins pop.
On a plate, mash avocados; add salt, garlic & lime juice. When quiche is ready, top with avocado mixture & roasted tomatoes. Serve.
Whether you prefer a sweet or spicy variety, there’s no denying the delicious versatility of Italian sausage.
The predominant flavor in ‘mild’ Italian sausage is fennel, or actual anise, a licorice like flavor with a little more earthiness. This emulates the style of sausages in Northern Italy, known for milder flavors with a noticeable presence of both fennel and garlic. It will also typically have a small amount of red pepper flakes to open up the flavors.
The ‘hot’ designation means a higher content of pepper flakes, or the addition of cayenne, giving you that spicier flavor that is more common in the southern regions of Italy.
‘Sweet’ is pretty straightforward, little bit of sugar, milder flavors around that, sometimes some mild herbs, typically a lot of basil and such to round it out.
In this meal, the layers of lasagna noodles blanket a creamy béchamel sauce and a filling with a savory ‘Italian sausage’ flavor and tender artichokes. Truly a comfort food meal.
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Italian Sausage Lasagna
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Instructions
Filling
Drain artichokes (reserving oil) & slice in halves; set aside. In a heavy skillet, heat artichoke marinade oil; sauté garlic, onions & mushrooms for a few minutes.
Add ground pork, sun-dried tomatoes & spices. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; add artichokes. Remove from skillet & set aside until ready to assemble lasagna.
Béchamel Sauce
In the skillet, melt butter over low heat. Once the butter is completely melted and bubbling, add the flour & mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes until flour just begins to take on some color.
Slowly start adding the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Continue to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt, white pepper & nutmeg.
Set aside until you are ready to use, by pouring the sauce into a glass bowl & covering with a buttered sheet of plastic wrap.
Cook lasagna noodles. Grate cheeses.
Assembly
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In a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of the béchamel sauce on the bottom. (Set aside 1 cup of the béchamel sauce for the top.) Arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles over sauce; spread some of the filling over noodles, top with a sprinkling of the grated cheeses. (Make sure to reserve a bit of cheese for the topping.) Repeat layers, ending with noodles.
Spread the reserved 1 cup of béchamel sauce over the noodles & top withy the remaining grated cheese. Cover with foil, bake for 35 minutes, remove foil & bake until bubbly & lightly browned on top, about another 15-20 minutes.
Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
Pasta is without a doubt, one of the most versatile ingredients to cook with. It can be prepared in so many unique ways with different sauces. Pesto sauce is one of those … a simple sauce with simple ingredients that packs a huge flavor.
Pesto sauce originated in Genoa, which is located in the northern region of Italy. The Italian word for pesto: pestare, means to pound or to crush. It was originally prepared with a marble mortar and wooden pestle. However, the translation may be a bit misleading because preparation does not consist of pounding, rather it is of grounding.
Traditionally, pesto is made of crushed garlic, fresh basil and pine nuts blended with Parmesan cheese and olive oil. There are many variations of pesto and while the most popular is a pasta sauce, it can be used for a spread or dip, salad dressing or as an accompaniment to steak, poultry or fish. Red pesto is either made from sundried tomatoes or red bell peppers.
This pasta meal comes together easily in a short space of time. Sometimes its the simplest dishes that are truly the best!
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Baked Shells w/ Pesto, Mozzarella & Meat Sauce
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Instructions
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In a saucepan over low heat, saute onion in olive oil for 5-7 minutes. Add ground pork, 2 Tbsp water, pepper, sage, red pepper flakes & ginger. Cook, stirring until no longer pink.
Add salt, dried basil & diced tomatoes; bring to a boil then lower heat & simmer for 20 minutes. Stir periodically. At the end of cooking time, stir in pesto & remove from heat.
While sauce is simmering, cook pasta shells al dente. It is important not to overcook shells as they will be further cooked in the oven. Drain pasta, add cooked sauce & gently toss.
Place half of the pasta in a baking dish & sprinkle with half of mozzarella & Parmesan. Top it up with remaining pasta & sprinkle with other half of the cheeses.
Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is golden & pasta is hot & bubbly.
Recipe Notes
- Don't hesitate to bake your pasta in individual servings.
The humble meatball is one of the most versatile foods. They seem to exist in just about every culture and can be used in any number of ways, not only with pasta and rice but as a tasty little hors d’ oeuvres.
I find apricots to be a good compliment to meatball hors d’ oeuvres. Using Mediterranean (also known as Turkish) apricots is a good choice as their flesh is thicker and plumper as well as having great flavor.
Many people prefer to fry meatballs but it seems to me that usually ends up with a charred outside and they are still raw inside. Baking them in the oven will result in a much more even cooking. Personal choice I guess.
This recipe for APRICOT-SPICE MEATBALLS is one I’ve used many times over the years. They work well at Christmas events when hot hors d’ oeuvres are in demand. Make the meatballs up, bake and freeze ahead of time — thaw when needed! At serving time, make the spicy apricot nectar sauce and your ready to go.
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Apricot-Spice Meatball Hors d' Oeuvres
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Instructions
Meatballs
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with foil; lightly grease. Set aside.
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In a bowl, combine bread crumbs & milk. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in egg white, onion, apricots, salt, garlic & chili powder. Add ground pork & turkey; mix well. Shape meat mixture into 30 meatballs. Place on prepared baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked. Remove meatballs from pan to paper towels.
Spiced Apricot Sauce
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In a small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients. Cook & stir over medium heat until thickened & bubbly.
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Place meatballs in a slow cooker. Add sauce, stirring gently to coat. Turn heat setting to low. This should keep meatballs warm, while being used by guests for about 2 hours.
Recipe Notes
- If you find your sauce gets to thick or you prefer it thinner to begin with, just use a little more apricot nectar.
- This meat combination makes a real flavorful meatball.
