Swedish Meatballs with Sweet Potato Gratin

Dinner 10.01.2012: Swedish Meatballs with Sweet Potato Gratin

Swedish Meatballs with Sweet Potato Gratin

As I was plating last night's dinner I realized that there was a little too much cream and no fresh greens whatsoever on the plate, but I got so carried away with it being October despite the thermometer hitting 100F in the afternoon that I completely forgot about something not cooked in a heavy cream sauce. Were the two dishes complementary at all you may ask? Well, maybe not so much, but Swedish meatballs are delicious and it can't hurt to practice sweet potato gratin for the upcoming holiday season.

Swedish Meatballs (1LB ground sirloin, 3/4C breadcrumbs soaked in milk, 1 egg, kosher salt, pepper, 1/4t+ ground nutmeg, 1/4t ground allspice) - make bite-size meatballs and brown with a little olive oil on all sides; finish baking at 375F until cooked through ~15 mins.

Sauce (2T butter, 2T flour, 2C chicken stock, kosher salt, 1/4C sour cream or creme fraiche) - melt butter; add flour and stir with wooden spoon. Cook for about 1 minute - consistancy should be like wet sand. Add cold stock and whisk vigorously. Simmer for 10-15 mins adding more stock if too thick. add sour cream/creme fraiche and season to taste with kosher salt. Return meatballs and heat through - serve with preserved lingonberries or cranberries.

Sweet Potato Gratin (heavy cream, thinly sliced sweet potatoes, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, brown sugar, pinch of kosher salt) - in an overproof pan/saucepan gently simmer the sliced sweet potatoes in the heavy cream with all spices until potatoes are starting to soften. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar and finish baking them at 375F until tender and starting to brown.