Nigella’s Swede-ish Meatballs with Garlic and Chive Dip

Brought to you by:

Nigella

8 serving

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Serves: 8

“This canapé-style version of Swedish meatballs is smaller-scaled than usual, all the better for spearing with a cocktail stick. And instead of the traditional creamy sauce that Swedes make for their meatballs, I’ve drawn on it to provide a soured cream dip, punchy with chives.”

Share recipe

Share Pin it Print

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

300g soured cream
25g chives, finely chopped to give 8 tbsp
3 fat garlic cloves, minced or grated
½ tsp ground white pepper, plus ¼ tsp
1 tsp sea salt flakes, plus 1½ tsp (or ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus ¾ tsp)
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika, plus extra to sprinkle (optional)
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp horseradish sauce
1 slice (50g) sourdough (or the same weight of slightly stale white bread), crusts removed, bread torn into 4 pieces
60ml whole milk
400g beef mince (15% fat)
1 brown onion (approx. 150g), grated
½ tsp allspice
100ml vegetable oil, for frying

Method

Step 1

For the dip, put the soured cream into a mixing bowl with 6 tbsp of the chives. Add two-thirds of the garlic, ½ tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sea salt flakes, the sweet smoked paprika, 1 tsp mustard and the horseradish. Stir everything together well, and taste for seasoning. Leave to infuse while you make the meatballs.

Step 2

Put the bread into a shallow bowl. Cover with the milk and leave to one side.

Step 3

Put the steak mince into a large bowl; loosen the meat using a fork in each hand. Add the remaining garlic and the onion, along with the allspice, ¼ tsp ground white pepper, 1½ tsp sea salt flakes and remaining 1 tsp dijon mustard.

Step 4

Squeeze out the soaked bread over the bowl, then add it to the meat mixture, followed by the milk.

Step 5

Using your hands, work together all the ingredients until you have a fine paste, and don’t worry that it takes on a slight greyish tinge. That’s what it should do! The mixture needs to be kneaded like a dough for a couple of mins at least.

Step 6

Pinch off a tsp of the mixture, flatten it then fry it in a small amount of the oil for a couple of mins to taste for seasoning. I use the pan I’m going to fry all the meatballs in, which has a 27cm diameter. Line a baking tray with baking paper and, using a rounded Tala measuring teaspoon, scoop out level spoonfuls of the mixture and roll them to make 80 mini meatballs. Put them on the tray as you go.

Step 7

Line a shallow roasting tray with a double thickness of kitchen towel, and turn the oven on to 100ºC/80ºC fan/gas ¼.

Step 8

Heat the rest of the oil in the frying pan, and, once it’s hot, add about a third of the meatballs. It’s helpful to not have an overcrowded pan. Turn them gently as they cook and give them about 5 mins in total; they should be browned in parts.

Step 9

Transfer the meatballs to the tray lined with kitchen towel and put them in the oven; repeat until they’re all done. Keep them warm until you’re ready to serve.

Step 10

Put the dipping sauce into little bowls – I use ones of just 60ml capacity, so everyone has their own; sprinkle over the reserved chives and a fleck of paprika, if you like.