Cookalong last night with Frida and Ciana. They in Frisco, Dallas Texas, USA and me here in Sollentuna Sweden. Last night we made Swedish Meatballs for Christmas and prepped Christmas Ham the Swedish way. We will celebrate Christmas on each our own continents. However it is nice to prepare together.
Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients:
- 1 kg minced meat
- 1,5 dl breadcrumbs
- 1 dl whipping cream
- 1 dl milk
- 0,5 yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 0,5 tsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons French mustard
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Tamari Soy Sauce
- 4 pinches crushed white peppercorns
- 4 tsp crushed black peppercorns
- butter + oil for frying
Instructions:
Mix bread crumbs , cream and milk and let it swell for about 10 minutes .
Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat a frying pan and fry the onion soft over low heat in butter and a little sugar without adding color. Allow to cool.
Stir in the onion in breadcrumbs mixture and add the ground meat and the rest of the ingredients. Mix to a smooth batter and taste off the seasoning, add more salt if you feel the need.
Roll balls from the batter with your hands. Wet your hands with water before rolling. Fry the meatballs in batches for about 5 minutes over medium heat in a lot of butter and a little oil. Shake the pan frequently so that the meatballs are evenly baked.
A a sole dinner the meatballs is traditionally served with mashed potatoes, gravy and lingonberries!
However they are always part of a Swedish Smörgåsbord during the year whether it is for Midsummer, Easter or Christmas or any other great celebration.
Grilled Christmas Ham the Swedish Way
Ingredients:
- 1 ham with or without rind 2-3 kg, cooked or oven roasted
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons mustard, any variety, preferably coarse-grained Scanian mustard
- 1-2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
Grilling:
Set the oven to 200 Celsius degrees ordinary oven.
Cut off most of the rind. If you want, you can put the removed rind at the bottom of the oven dish. If the ham has a net, cut and remove it.
If you want, you can put parchment paper or foil at the bottom of the baking tin in which you are going to grill the ham.
Place the ham in the middle of the mold.
Whisk the egg with the mustard in a glass and spread on the top and around of the ham. Use a brush to brush it on.
Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs in an even layer. I like when it’s a thin layer.
Put the ham in the upper part of the oven for about 15 minutes. Check it after 10 minutes so it does not burn on top. It may take a few more minutes until the ham has taken on color.
Grill the ham until it has a light brown color.
Take out and let the ham cool. Wrap in aluminum foil and keep in the fridge until you are serving the ham.
At a Buffé or Smörgåsbord the ham is served cold cut. We cut thin slices of the ham when we are plating to serve. We place the whole ham on the servingplate as well as the slices making it a showpiece. As the slices are finished you can slice some more.
The ham is kept in foil in the fridge during Christmas time. It is eaten on sandwiches with a special flatbread called Tunnbröd in Swedish (similar to a lefse or tortilla) or on crackers, hard bread (Knäckebröd). A little mustard is spread on the top of the meatslice. If you are not a fan of mustard you leave it out.
Bj's Live Kitchen 