Scandinavians are blessed with culinary delights like lingonberries, small tart red berries with naturally occurring pectin; they are a distant cousin ?to the cranberry.
Norwegian Jarlsberg cheese has a yellow rind as an outer layer with a semi-firm interior. Buttery, nutty and mild in flavour, this cheese holds its own in a simmering pot of meat and broth. Adding lignonberries to the sauce makes for a Norwegian combo that will be sure to impress.
Jarlsberg Stuffed Norwegian Meatballs
?Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Serves: 4-6 (makes 20 meatballs)
Meatballs:
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil, divided
2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups/750 mL)
1 tsp. (5 mL) ground allspice
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) ground cardamom
1 lb. (454g) lean ground pork
1 lb. (454g) lean ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp. (5 mL) sea salt
125g Jarlsberg cheese cut into ?20 1/2-inch x 1/2-inch cubes
Gravy:
Reserved drippings from browning meatballs
2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter
2 tbsp. (30 mL) all-purpose flour
3 cups (750 mL) beef broth, divided
Reserved caramelized onions
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) lingonberry sauce or cranberry sauce, divided
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced parsley, ? to garnish
1. In large heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil; add onions and cook over medium heat until softened and caramelized about 10 minutes. Add allspice, nutmeg and cardamom; cook for 1 minute. Divide onions in half, some for meat mixture and the other for gravy. Reserve the saucepan to brown meatballs.
2. In a large bowl, combine pork and beef with half the onion and egg yolk. Sprinkle with salt and blend thoroughly. Form into 20 large rounded tablespoon-sized (about 45 g meat mixture) meatballs, pressing a cube of cheese into the centre and encasing with meat mixture.
3. Heat reserved large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high; add 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil; sauté meatballs in batches, turning gently, until lightly browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Set aside and reserve saucepan to make gravy.
4. Place reserved saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and stir in flour to make a paste while scraping up the browned bits. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup (125 ml) broth until a smooth paste forms. Increase to high heat; whisk in remaining broth; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Return browned meatballs and juices to pot; simmer 10 minutes over low heat or until meatballs are no longer pink, and the gravy is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup (250 mL) lingonberry sauce.
Serve meatballs over boiled potatoes; top with 1 tbsp (15 mL) lingonberry sauce and minced parsley to garnish.
Korey's Tip?
Find jarred lingonberry sauce at IKEA. Substitute Jarlsberg cheese with Swiss or Emmental.
