Swedish Meatballs

We were stuck inside Saturday because it was still snowing and cold, cold, cold.  Have I mentioned that we have had a plethora of teenage girls at our home since Thursday afternnon?  It's not my cooking, we have a good hill and a decent amount of snow.  Saturday they all went skiing and we had quiet!

Out of hundreds of channels, there was nothing to watch, except Tyler's Ultimate.  He made Swedish Meatballs.  A.J. said, "Babe, those look good, would you make this for dinner tonight?".  He didn't have to ask twice.  Talk about a sensational meal!  He was still talking about them today.

Here's what you'll need:

4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
1 pound each ground beef and pok (or all beef if you prefer)
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons salt
Few grinds black pepper
2 teaspoons ground allspice
4 pieces white bread, crust removed, torn and soaked in whole milk
Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tablespoons black currant jam
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
1 (12 oz.) package of egg noodles

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Remove the onion to a plate and cool. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, egg yolks, heavy cream and onion. Add salt, pepper and allspice. Squeeze excess milk from the bread and add it to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands or wooden spoon.

The meatballs were very wet, so the bowl of cold water is very important.  I was worried if the meatballs were going to hold up and they did!  With a bowl of cold water standing by, form meatballs about 1-inch across. Dip your fingers in cold water, from time to time, to keep the meat from sticking to your hands.

Melt the remaining butter in the saute pan and once the foam has subsided add a layer of meatballs. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shake the pan once in awhile, to keep the meatballs round.

Brown all of the meatballs, in batches, removing them to a large oven safe dish when cooked.

Put the dish in the oven for about 20 minutes, being careful not to overcook them.

To make the sauce: Pour off most of the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk to dissolve the flour into the fat. Pour in the chicken stock, and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Simmer, stirring, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture starts to thicken to a sauce.  While the sauce is simering and thickening, book one 12 oz. package of egg noodles per package directions.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and the black currant jam.

Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

To serve, spoon a portion of egg noodles onto a plate then add  couple of meatballs onto each plate and spinkle with chopped parsley.