Meatballs with shaken redcurrants and pink peppercorn pickled cucumbers
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
- Dietary
- Nut-free
Delicious Swedish-style meatballs are served with a trio of flavour-packed accompaniments – tangy redcurrants, a rich anchovy cream sauce and punchy pickled cucumbers.
Ingredients
For the redcurrants
- 250g/9oz redcurrants
- 125g/4½oz caster sugar
For the cucumber
- ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp pink peppercorns, toasted and crushed
- 5 tsp icing sugar
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- 2 tsp salt
For the meatballs
- 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
- ½ onion, finely grated
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- 100ml/3½fl oz milk
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 100g/3½oz fresh breadcrumbs
- 250g/9oz beef mince
- 250g/9oz pork mince
- 1 tbsp salt
- oil, for greasing
For the cream sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 anchovy fillet, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 200ml/7fl oz reduced chicken stock
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the redcurrants, toss together the redcurrants and sugar in a tray and leave to sit for 1 hour for the sugar to dissolve. If you’re short on time, add the sugar and redcurrants to a pan on a low heat until the sugar dissolves.
To make the cucumber, mix all of the ingredients together and set aside.
To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and fry until soft.
Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the cream, milk, salt, allspice and breadcrumbs.
Add the beef and pork mince and mix thoroughly by hand. Roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a lightly oiled baking tray.
Add some water to another baking tray and place it in the bottom of the oven to create steam.
Fry the meatballs in a pan with oil and butter to colour all over.
Then transfer onto a lined tray and roast the meatballs for 10 minutes, or until firm.
To make the cream sauce, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onions, garlic and anchovy. Add the stock and reduce by half, then add the cream. Bring to the boil and season.
When ready to serve, fry the meatballs in a pan with oil and butter to colour.
Spoon some sauce over the meatballs and serve the redcurrants and pickled cucumber on the side.
