Swedish Kottbullar Or Danish Frikadeller Recipes

DANISH MEATBALLS (FRIKADELLER)

Steps:

• Mix together all ingredients using hands in a big bowl. To get the right consistency it is important that all ingredients get well mixed and gets softened a bit. I would say that you should knead for around 5 minutes.
• Form into meatballs according to the size you prefer. In Denmark meatballs used for dinner is the size of the palm of your hand, and lunch meat balls are about half of that. (Quantity for this recipe is based on dinner meatballs).
• Heat a non-stick pan to medium-hot and place the meatballs in the pan. If you feel they stick too much to the pan, you can add a bit of butter to the pan (not oil). Turn the meatballs with a fork once they have started to brown. Keep turning them every 4 min or so being careful that they do not brown too much. Cook for approx 15-20 min until cooked through.
• Serve with a potato salad, mashed potatoes or cooked potatoes with a white milk based gravy.

KOTTBULLAR

Steps:

• Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and add 4 tablespoons of milk. Leave the breadcrumbs to absorb the milk for about 5 minutes.
• Add the ground meat, grated onion, egg, allspice salt and white pepper to the bowl. Mix until everything is combined.
• Take a tablespoon of the mixture and roll it until it is round. Rinse your hands in cold water if the mixture is too sticky. Repeat until you have used up all the mixture, by which time you should have between 25 and 30 meatballs.
• Heat a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over a medium high heat.
• Fry half the meatballs, shaking the pan frequently as you add them.
• When they are browned, turn down the heat and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Remove the meatballs from the pan and keep warm.
• Add another tablespoon of butter and fry the remaining meatballs in the same way.
• When the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the pan.
• Add the stock and cornstarch mixture to the pan.
• Stir thoroughly and then simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, salt, black pepper and cream. Heat for a couple more minutes, stirring continuously.
• Serve the meatballs with lingonberries or lingonberry jam, mashed potatoes, pressed cucumber and a light coating of the creamy gravy sauce.

FRIKADELLER (DANISH MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Combine beef, pork and onion. Add breadcrumbs, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and sage leaves (it works best if you mix it with your hands).
• Slowly add half & half for consistency (you want them to be slightly sticky, you shouldn't be able to form them into a perfect ball). Coat large skillet well with butter. Drop clumps of mixture (a heaping tablespoon-size) onto the skillet.
• Fry on medium to medium low heat until brown (press the meat down a lightly with a fork so it flattens out a little.. it should look like a fat hamburger.. see picture below), then flip (approx 3-5 minutes per side). Add more butter with each batch.
• Serve with gravy (see below). **Don't wash the skillet-- you will want the brown bits and drippings for the gravy**
• Add the flour to the drippings to form a roux (add butter if needed). Slowly add cream (or milk) until mixture reaches gravy consistency. Add beef bouillon, salt & pepper to taste.

FRIKADELLER (DANISH MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Mix the veal and pork together in a bowl, and stir in the milk, onion, and egg. Mix the bread crumbs into the meat. Sprinkle in the flour, and knead well to mix. Stir in the seltzer water, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. The mixture should be very moist, but not dripping.
• Chill the meat mixture for 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator, to make the meatballs easier to form.
• Heat the margarine in a large skillet over medium heat.
• To form meatballs, scoop up about 2 1/2 tablespoons of meat mixture with a large spoon, and form the mixture into a slightly flattened, oval meatball about the size of a small egg. Place the meatballs into the heated skillet, and fry for about 15 minutes per side, until the meatballs are well-browned and no longer pink in the center.

SWEDISH KOTTBULLAR OR DANISH FRIKADELLER

Steps:

• Soak the bread or cracker crumbs in 1/3 cup of the cream. Put 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a bit of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Combine the bread crumbs, onion, meat, and spice, along with some more salt and pepper; do not over mix or over handle. With wet hands or wet spoons, shape the meat into small meatballs (I would say as small as you have the patience for, but no more than an inch in diameter).
• Put 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter in the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter melts, begin adding the meatballs, a few at a time; you may have to cook in batches. Brown nicely on all sides and turn off the heat. Serve immediately or proceed to the next step.
• To make a sauce, remove all but a trace of fat from the pan. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add the remaining butter and, after it melts, the flour. Stirring constantly, add the stock and cook until slightly thickened. Add the remaining cream and continue to cook for a few more minutes or until thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour the meatballs into the sauce to reheat before serving.