ST. MARK'S SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Have meat ground together twice. When I am not able to find ground veal easily, I use half ground beef and half ground pork.
• Soak breadcrumbs in cream for at least 5 minutes. I let them soak while sautéing the onions.
• Melt 1 tablespoons butter and saute the onion until tender but not brown.
• Combine meats, crumb mixture, onion, egg, parsley, and spices. I am not a fan of nutmeg in meatballs and I do not add that ingredient.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Choice, brown meatballs in a skillet on the stove a few at a time until all have been cooked through OR bake in a 350 oven on cookie sheets until cooked through.
• If you cooked your meatballs in a skillet, use the fat to start the gravy. If you made them in the oven, use the fat you have and a few tablespoons butter. Sorry, this part is not exact but as I figure it out I'll update.
• Stir 2 tablespoons flour into fat.
• Add beef broth, water, and instant coffee. I have also used a small amount of coffee left in the pot. I start with a Tbsp or so and just keep taste testing until I find a flavor I like.
• Heat and stir until gravy thickens.
• Salt and pepper gravy to your liking.
• Add meatballs into gravy and cook slowly for 15 to 30 minutes. This is the forgiving part of the recipe, if your meatballs are a bit pink inside, simmer until they finish cooking.
• Note: If you are new to making gravy and need to add more flour to make a thicker gravy, disolve the additional flour in an equal amount of water and slowly add to your gravy. Stir constantly while adding the flour mixture and for a a few minutes afterwards. By doing this you should be able to avoid a lumpy gravy. You may need to adjust the seasoning when you are done.
• Note: Cooking and preparation times are only a guess.