SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH ROSEMARY POTATOES

Having had a Swedish exchage student for a year I received many recipes from 'mormor' and 'farmor', grandmothers from both sides! The original recipe from 'mormor' was a meatball made with moose. Not having moose readily available we opted to substitute with ground beef. The following is 'mormor's' recipe translated:

1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
2 TBLS. butter
1 tsp. each chopped rosemary, thyme and marjoram
5 juniper berries
14 oz. ground moose OR lean ground beef
7 oz. ground pork
1 egg
1 beef bouillon cube
1/3 cup carbonated water
2 tsp. salt
oil and butter

Mince the onion and garlic and saute in butter with the seasonings. Let cool.

Combine ground meats, egg, cooled onion mixture, bouillon, and half the carbonated water. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until lightly combined. add the remaining water. The mixture with be very watery and loose. Make a meatball to test. Fry in butter and oil. Only make a few at a time as they take a lot of moving and turning to cook evenly on all sides. There are never any burned or unevenly cooked Swedish meatballs!

We use the pan drippings, strong with the sauted herbs, for a light brown sauce. Just add a couple TBLS flour and stir until just mixed, add about 1/2 heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste, let thicken and there you have it!

Serve with roasted Rosemary potatoes and you have a great dinner.

ROSEMARY POTATOES:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut 4 medium potatoes into long thin wedges. Onions, carrots or any other root veggie can be added to the potatoes. In a large mixing bowl coat potatoes with olive oil. Spread potatoes evenly on a jelly roll type pan and sprinkle with lots Rosemary, SALT and pepper.

Bake in a hot 400 F oven until potatoes are dark brown on bottom. Enjoy!

If anyone is interested there is a wonderful sauce that is served with the potatoes when having fish. It contains sour cream,(substitute for 'middle cream') mayo, fresh dill, fresh chives, garlic, frozen spinach. Served cold with hot potatoes and Salt Brined Salmon!! Hmmmmmmmm....