No holiday party seemed complete without slipping a crockpot of these lovely little things in the door. As a child, I preferred anything barbecue-flavored over anything in gravy, but as I got older, I grew to appreciate the Swedish meatball heritage a little more. They definitely are popular in the midwest, and while I still may favor things a little spicier and with a bit less gravy, no Minneapolis cookbook would be complete without some Swedish meatballs. For fun, I used almond flour in these instead of white bread crumbs, but if you want to stick with tradition, go ahead and add that gluten!
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt, and sauté for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add the ground meat, almond flour, salt, spices, onion, egg and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to a large bowl. Mix everything thoroughly together using your hands and form into about 16 meatballs.
Heat a small bit of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and cook the meatballs until brown all over and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil while you make the gravy.
Add the remaining butter to the skillet (with remaining meatball bits) and let bubble. Add in the broth, remaining heavy cream and mustard to deglaze the pan. Allow to simmer for a couple minutes.
Add a couple tablespoons of cold water to the cornstarch, then stir into sauce. Continue to simmer until the sauce just begins to thicken. Season to taste.
These are wonderful served over mashed potatoes, and in true Minnesota fashion, with a side of Lingonberry jam.