Sunday Supper: Swedish Meatballs and Potato Mash

How about some Scandinavian comfort food to warm up with?

Two things:

1) I don’t know why I keep putting up cozy food for weather conditions I’m not currently experiencing. I live in a climate where it’s easier to convince myself it’s the season for raw kale and green juice, but I guess after over 2/3 of my life spent in places with actual winter weather, these are cycles I can’t break. So, meatballs, anyone?

2) Please know that I mismashed a few recipes for Swedish meatballs from all over the internet, and as I’m neither Swedish myself nor have I ever eaten any meatballs in Sweden or an Ikea, let’s just focus on the question of whether these taste good. Yes, they do. Moving on.

I’ve been pretty obsessed with the idea of a proper plate of meatballs with mashed potatoes, pickles, and tart jam ever since I discovered this little Swedish cafe in Sydney (see above re Sweden). I ate them on a drizzly morning alongside a giant mug of steamed chai and life was grand. I went back again for the chai but not the meatballs, because the weather warmed up and these really do feel like the best thing to eat when it’s colder outside. But since I’m headed back to Sydney this week and it’s currently drizzly and cold here, I thought this was a nice time to revisit them. 

Plus, I hear Winter is a great time to practice hygge…?

I have to admit that I’m not 100% sure what hygge is supposed to be, other than they had a party about it on Younger and it seems to be just Instagrams of people lounging in their PJs all day. Supposedly it’s like a cozy life or something? I’m not really convinced I can do that, because I have to pay my rent, and even if I don’t know what hygge is I’m fairly sure it’s the complete opposite of my office environment, so, not gonna happen.

But I’m happy to apply that concept to the food I eat! Meatballs are certainly cozy, no? Especially with a cream sauce and paired with potatoes mashed with butter and… more cream. It’s meatballs and a triple cream whammy, really. Plus pickles.

Wait! Is hygge just what you do when you can’t fit into your jeans anymore because you ate an entire batch of meatballs tossed in a gravy made entirely of reduced cream? 

I am nailing hygge.

Make these and you can too!

---

Swedish Meatballs and Potato Mash

Adapted from Food & Wine

For the pickled cucumbers:

• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 tbs kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch allspice

For the meatballs:

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbs plus 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 cups boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

For the mashed potatoes:

• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• heavy cream
• butter
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Make pickles: in a colander, toss cucumbers with the salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. In a pot, combine water, vinegar, sugar, bay leaf and allspice and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Rinse the cucumbers and squeeze to remove as much water as you can, then transfer to a large glass bowl or other non-reactive container and pour the pickling mixture over the cucumbers. Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
4. Make the meatballs: First, make the mashed potatoes if you don't have extra around. Bring  a large pot of salted water to a boil and peel and quarter 1 1/2 lb russet potatos. Boil potatoes until just able to pierce with a fork. Drain and run potatoes through a ricer or food mill. Measure out 1 1/2 cups and let cool completely.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixture or other large mixing bowl, combine eggs, cream, salt and pepper with the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Let sit 10 minutes. Add the meats, the mashed potatoes and onion and mix with the paddle attachment until combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes on medium-high speed. This will tighten the mixture up a bit to give you springier meatballs.
6. Cover meatball mixture and chill at least 1 hour, up to overnight. 
7. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop mixture on to parchment lined baking sheets and roll into balls. 
8. Heat oven to 350 degrees and heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and brown the meatballs in batches. Transfer back to parchment lined baking sheets and bake 15-20 minutes. Once done, keep in warm oven (lower the heat) until ready to serve.
9. While meatballs are baking, make the cream sauce and the mashed potatoes. Add 2 cups heavy cream to the meatball drippings in the skillet and simmer until reduced by about half. While cream is reducing, follow instructions for cooking the potatoes in step 4. While potatoes are cooking, add soy sauce, salt and pepper and simmer cream sauce until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Keep warm while finishing potatoes.
10. Drain potatoes and return back to the pot. Add a splash or two of heavy cream and a few tablespoons of butter and roughly mash the potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve meatballs with cream sauce, mashed potatoes, cucumbers, and a tart jam, such as lingonberry.

Spicy Totopos

Let’s get a little fire going in this freezing new year! 

At least, I hear the rest of you are all freezing.

Apparently it is bitterly cold in the rest of the country, and something called a Bomb Cyclone hit the East Coast yesterday. That sounds like that storm from The Day After Tomorrow, which was a stupid movie but is apparently coming true now, so stay warm, people! I hope Jake Gyllenhaal can bring you penicillin if you need it.

I can’t say it’s cold here, but we did finally get some rain and also an earthquake the other night, so…no, you are right that is nothing like a Bomb Cyclone. 

So if you are like, what can I eat to stay warm, I’ve got a great recipe for you! It’s my version of the totopos from Nopalito here in SF. The dish can sometimes be spicy in the restaurant, but the way I made it at home turned it into a fun finger food that will light your tastebuds on fire and make you sweat out of your eyes.

That oughta warm you up!

The heat comes from a salsa made from arbol chiles, potent little dried peppers that should probably only be used in moderation. I used 55. The salsa recipe said to use the finished sauce “sparingly.,” so I tossed warmed tortilla chips in only about 1/2 cup of the stuff. “Sparingly” is such a subjective direction! 

Don’t worry, because the flames in your mouth are slightly tempered by the cooling additions of fresh lime, cilantro, sour cream, and cotija cheese, taming the chile inferno to a lively bonfire.

Look, I hope I’m not dissuading you from trying these. They really are delicious, if a bit painful to get through, but the salsa does mellow a bit after a couple days and you can share the pile with friends, and laugh at who sweats the most while chugging pints of cold milk.

Or, if you have to go shovel some snow, this probably is a great snack either pre or post snow removal. On Instagram yesterday, my brother in law sure looked like he could use these. Though come to think of it, last time he cursed at me was when Claire made my hot chicken wings, so maybe not. 

But those of you with more iron-clad tastebuds, I highly recommend!  

---

Spicy Totopos

Inspired by Nopalito. Salsa de arbol adapted from Saveur

• 2 tbs canola oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 white onion, chopped finely
• 55 dried, stemmed chiles de arbol
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• salt, to taste
• tortilla chips
• white onion, diced fine
• sour cream
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• cilantro, chopped
• cotija cheese, crumbled

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook garlic until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes more. Add chiles, cook 1-2 minutes, then add the tomato and 1/4 cup water. Cook, 8-10 minutes until tomato breaks down and chiles are well softened (you may need to keep adding water or cook covered). Transfer mixture to a blender and puree with salt and 10 tbs water. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
2. Warm tortilla chips on a baking sheet in a 300 degree oven for about 5 minutes. Spoon a good amount of salsa into a large mixing bowl (but start with a conservative amount and add more if desired - this stuff is spicy!) and add the warm chips. Toss to coat chips in salsa, then transfer to a platter and garnish with onion, dollops of sour cream, squeezes of lime juice, cilantro, and cotija. 

Golden Tea Latte

Happy 2018!

I promise I haven't suddenly jumped on the "clean food" wagon. I am, however, starting out the year on a fairly healthy note, with this hot, turmeric, tea and almond milk concoction, aka "Golden Milk" or "Haldi" or "Turmeric latte" or whatever other name you want to give it. It's got caffeine and turmeric and healthy nut fats to help counteract whatever I've done to myself over the last few weeks.

(I'm looking at you, Christmas brunch, but the extra tortilla(s) and helping(s) of refried beans were soooo worth it.)

(And I might like Bloody Marys now.) 

But, at least for the next few days, I'm trying to be a little nicer to myself, so I started January 1 off with a big, steaming mug of this golden latte, and I think it was the right decision. Plus, it's an easy, no-fuss, dump, stir and simmer situation that I can get behind, especially as someone whose main hot beverage routine involves only boiling water and a tea pot.

I first encountered golden lattes at the Whole Foods in Arizona, when I was visiting last Thanksgiving. Something about the earthy turmeric and spicy ginger just sang to me. I spent two shopping trips for groceries exclaiming about my latte, which I'm sure was a huge help to my Dad, who just wanted me to confirm what kind of chorizo we were supposed to be buying.

I still haven't found a latte quite as excellent as the one they make at that Whole Foods, and I'm assuming it's because of whatever ginger syrup they are using that others aren't. My Whole Foods doesn't serve them, so for now, I can't do more research. But I'm glad to say this one comes close, with the happy addition of black tea (my second oxygen), but also a good amount of ginger. 

Trust me, these may play of the turmeric, but the ginger is what is gonna make you love it.

---

Golden Tea Latte

Adapted from Tejal Rao

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 cardamom pod
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 peppercorns
• 1/2 tbs honey
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 black tea bag

1. Add water, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and honey to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the milk and the tea bag and cook until steaming. Strain into a mug and enjoy while hot.

Notes:

• It can seem like a bit of a pain to mix all of these ingredients each time you want to enjoy this latte, but there are people out there easing that pain. Sarah Britton at My New Roots has a recipe for a big batch of the turmeric mix, and for Christmas I was gifted with the easiest cheat of all, turmeric concentrate. You could just mix equal parts concentrate and milk, add a tea bag, and be done!