Meatballs

1. In a large bowl, add the 500 g ground beef, 300 g ground pork, 1 finely diced onion, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 cup breadcrumbs, the 2 slices of white bread soaked in 1/3 cup milk, 2 beaten eggs, 1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
2. Use your hands and gently mix until just combined.
3. Don’t overwork it or the meatballs turn dense, learned that the hard way.
4. Roll into golf-ball-sized meatballs and place them on a tray.
5. Pop them in the fridge for about 30 mins, so they hold their shape better when cooking.
6. You’ve got two options here.
7. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 20 to 25 minutes until browned, or heat a few tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan and brown the meatballs in batches until golden all over.
8. Pan-browning gives better flavor, but baking is easier if you’re busy.

Sauce

1. In a pan over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp butter.
2. Stir in 3 tbsp flour and cook for about 1 min, stirring constantly, until it smells a little nutty but hasn’t browned. This matters more than you think.
3. Slowly whisk in the 2 cups warmed stock or broth, a bit at a time, so it stays smooth.
4. Add the 1 cup cream, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard.
5. Let the sauce gently simmer until thick, creamy, and glossy.
6. If it gets too thick, splash in a little more stock.
7. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and let them simmer together for 5 mins so everything soaks up that flavor.
8. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and a spoonful of jam. Lingonberry is classic, but cranberry or cherry jam works just as well, and no one’s complaining.