Finnish Meatballs

Finnish meatballs are meatier and bigger than Swedish meatballs. They are also served with lingonberry jam and boiled/mashed potatoes, and a gravy, but they are juicier and yummier. In my opinion at least!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 2-6

Ingredients

• Meatball Ingredients

• 1  lb  minced meat
• 3  ounces sour cream or 3  ounces creme fraiche
• 3  big onions
• 2  large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 ounces  chopped roasted onions
• 1  tablespoon  breadcrumbs
• 1  whole garlic
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  teaspoon paprika
• 2  tablespoons black pepper

• Sauce Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 cup wheat flour
• 1  cup demi-glace
• 1  cup water
• 2  tablespoons beef broth (you can get this from the meatballs themselves or from a bullion cube)
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄2  dl vodka

Directions

1. The meatballs:.
2. Preheat oven at 350 F/175°C
3. Finely chop the onions.
4. Combine the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
5. Mix with your hands.
6. Let rest for about 15 minutes.
7. Once rested, roll the meat batter into balls. Mine tend to fit nicely in the palm of my hand. I would guess they are about the size of golf balls.
8. Place the balls onto a baking sheet with some room to breathe between each of them.
9. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
10. The sauce:.
11. Melt butter at a pan and add flour.
12. Once a little brown, add demi glace and blend until it's well mixed.
13. Add water and beef broth and let it "boil" for about 30 minutes.
14. Add cream and vodka.
15. The sauce should be a little thick, but not too thick, and definitely not watery.
16. Remove the meatballs from the oven, and place them in a big, oven-safe pot or bowl.
17. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. The bowl should be deep enough to have all the meatballs inside and no fear of sauce overflowing.
18. Replace the container into the oven at a low heat for 10 minutes.
19. Dish served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. Very yummy and worth the time to make!