It’s A-Meat-a-Ball-a-Day

Today just happens to be National Meatball Day. Once upon a time we dined on the best Swedish Meatballs I’ve ever made. I wanted to share them once again with you today.

These meatballs were served in a Red Currant Sauce. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find Red Current Jelly in any grocery store in a very long time. What to do – what to do.

Naturally, I switched my attention to on-line shopping. Sure enough I could get the Jelly, but it was on the expensive side for an ingredient in the sauce that required just a quarter-cup. A substitution was called for. After a great deal of research and suggestions, I’ve decided to give my Swedish Meatballs a makeover using Raspberry Jam instead. The two recipes are nearly identical. The only changes made are in the fruit preserves used and toasting the spices.

Kiddo and I both enjoyed this slightly sweeter version of my Swedish Meatballs. Hubby not so much. But then again Kiddo and I like the combination of dark chocolate and raspberries, while Hubby doesn’t. So it comes down to personal preferences.

Hope you enjoy the tiny changes. Have a blessed and most beautiful day knowing that God loves you.

Swedish Meatballs with Red Raspberry Sauce
The Meatballs
5 slices Sourdough Bread
2/3 cup Milk
1 large Yellow Onion
2 tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground Cardamom
2 teaspoons Black Pepper
2 Eggs
1 lb Ground Pork
1 lb Ground Beef

Trim crust from bread, cut into pieces. Let bread dry out for about 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix the bread pieces with the milk. Set aside for 15-20 minutes, or until the bread soaks up all the milk. When it does, pulverize the bread in a food processor and pour it into a large bowl.

While bread is soaking, grate onions using large holes of a cheese grater.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick Sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted and begins to foam slightly, add onions.

Sauté the grated onion in the butter over medium-high heat until the onions soften and turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Season the onions with salt, nutmeg, cardamon and black pepper. Continue to sauté until aromatic. Remove from heat and let cool.

Crumble the ground meats together into a large bowl. Add the seasoned onions, the pulverized bread and the eggs. Using your (clean) hands, mix well for about 2 minutes until the ingredients are well combined.

Use a meatball scooper to create the meatballs. As you form the meatballs, set each one aside on a sheet pan You should get 60 or smaller meatballs or 20 to 30 large ones. (I went with the largers meatballs this time around)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake meatballs for 20 minutes. Do not fully cook meatballs all the way through since they will continue to cook in the sauce.

While the meatballs are baking, make the Red Raspberry Sauce.

Red Raspberry Sauce
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup Flour
4 cups Beef Stock
3/4 cup Sour Cream
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons Red Raspberry Jam, more or less to taste
Handful Flat Leaf Parsley, finely chopped for garnish if desired

Heat the butter for the sauce in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour. Stirring often, let the flour cook until it is the color of coffee-with-cream; this is a classic roux. It will take about 5-8 minutes to reach the desired color.

As the roux is cooking, heat the beef stock in another pot until it simmers. When the roux has cooked until the color of coffee-with-cream, slowly add the hot beef stock a little at a time. Everything will sputter at first, and the sauce will seize up and solidify. Keep stirring and adding stock slowly, and it will loosen up and become silky.

Remove meatballs from the oven. Drain pan drippings into the sauce and stir to blend well.

Add the meatballs to the sauce, and turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

To finish, remove just the meatballs with a slotted spoon to a large bowl or casserole, allowing sauce to remain in the pan. Add the sour cream to the sauce; whisk well until smooth. Add the jam; bring heat up to medium to let the jam melt into the sauce. Return the meatballs to the sauce, heat gently.

Place egg noodles in a large serving bowl. Using the slotted spoon again, arrange sauce-coated meatballs over the egg noodles. Pour sauce over the dish, garnish with parsley if desired.

I like to serve this with some lovely green beans.

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Send forth Your light and Your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to Your holy mountain,
to Your dwelling-place.