Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 slices white bread, without the crusts, torn into pieces
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 lb ground beef
• 3/4 lb ground pork
• 1 small red onion, grated
• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• salt
• ground black pepper
• butter, for frying meatballs
• vegetable oil, for frying meatballs
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• salt
• ground black pepper
• fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. 1

   In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk until soft.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients except the butter and oil, and add the soaked bread.

3. 3

   Mix thoroughly until smooth, it's best to use your hands for this.

4. 4

   Shape into small, golf-ball size meatballs (by dipping your hands in cold water, the meatballs won't stick to your hands.)

5. 5

   Heat butter and oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.

6. 6

   Add the meatballs, about 8 to 10 at a time, and gently brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.

7. 7

   Shake the skillet now and then so meatballs stay round and brown evenly.

8. 8

   Place them on a heated baking pan in a low oven to keep warm.

9. 9

   To make gravy, deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of the stock, letting it simmer for 5 minutes while scraping the bottom of the skillet with a spatula. Strain the gravy into a clean saucepan and add the remaining 1 cup of stock. In a small bowl, mix the flour with 1/4 cup of cold water until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into warm gravy, and let simmer, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.