Cooking Club: Lihapyorykoita (Finnish Meatballs)

The final recipe this month was submitted by Melidee. If you like the meatballs at IKEA or just like meatballs you will like this recipe. Though, my experience making it was soured a bit thanks to my kids.. but you can hear all about that when I review it early next month.

Lihapyorykoita (Finnish Meatballs)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 cup plain bread crumbs

• 1 yellow onion, minced

• 1 egg

• 1 cup whipping cream, divided

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 cup butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 cups milk

Directions

1. Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, 1/2 cup cream, salt, and allspice in a bowl with your hands until evenly mixed. Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized spheres.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook about half the meatballs in the melted butter until evenly browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes; remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs, keeping the liquid in the skillet when finished.

3. Sift the flour into the skillet drippings; cook the flour in the skillet drippings until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly stream the milk into the skillet while whisking vigorously; pour the cream into the mixture and stir until smooth. If you aren't good at making gravy and end up with some lumps you can pour the gravy through a strainer. Return all the meatballs to the skillet; stir to coat with the gravy. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Good with beets and a pickle wedge on the side.

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Don't forget, if you make any of this month's recipes, you can either leave a comment with your review or e-mail me at emmy (at) emmymom2 (dot) com. I would love to feature your blog if you try the recipes.