"Crack" Meatballs

The name is courtesy of Steve ... I made these meatballs for supper last night and they are a swedish style of meatball (think Ikea).  Alex ate 3 helpings, and Steve decided at lunch today that they must be made of "crack" as they are crazily addictive :-)

“Crack” Meatballs

Prep time - 30 minutes
Non-active time - 1 hour
Baking time - 20 minutes
Makes approx 45 meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 cup breadcrumbs

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup minced white onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten

• vegetable oil, for brushing

For the gravy:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

• Lingonberry Jam, for serving (optional)

Directions

Make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste; let cool. Add the beef, pork, egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until combined.

Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with the parsley and serve with lingonberry jam, if desired.

Variation - add sautéed onions and mushrooms to the gravy and serve over egg noodles.