Cooking Lesson #700: Frikadeller -- Danish Meatballs

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Every year at this time I think about Christmases past. No, I am not trying to conjure up scenes from A Christmas Carol.  I’ve just had so many wonderful holiday experiences in the past that I have a wealth of stories and recipes to share.
 
Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen at Christmas time is like something out of a Hans Christian Andersen story and it’s easy to fall in love with the sights, sounds and yes, smells (or aromas) of the city. It is all decked out with fluffy snow, Christmas lights and decorations, plus feasts of Danish food. No one visiting Copenhagen this time of year will be disappointed. There is nothing like it except a visit to Solvang, California—a Danish community located mid-state California. It has many of the attributes described above minus the snow.
 
I like to visit one of the authentic Danish restaurants which features Christmas favorites, Danish-style meatballs, roasted ham and Tilsit cheese sandwich platters loaded with a variety of different types of Danish sausages (my favorite, Danish Brats). The plates are shared with Danish sides—red cabbage, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes covered in a dark rich gravy. I loved how the bite of the red cabbage and the saltiness of sauerkraut work together and are complemented by whipped potatoes which are always delicious.
 
Frikadeller is a flat-bottomed meatball considered the national dish of Denmark. My Frikadeller recipe comes straight from Denmark. It's a little labor-intensive, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be addicted. Double the batch so you can make enough Frikadeller for next day’s sliced open-faced sandwiches on toast with dabs of homemade mayonnaise.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Chill time:  Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients 
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup milk, or as needed
1/4 cup finely grated onion
1 large egg
1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold soda water
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
 
Directions

1. Mix the veal and pork together in a bowl.
2.  Add in and stir the milk, onions and egg.
3. Mix the breadcrumbs into the meat.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and knead well to mix.
5. Stir in the soda water, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. The mixture should be very moist, but not wet.
6. Chill the meat mixture for 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator, to make the meatballs easier to form.
7. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
8. To form meatballs, scoop up about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the meat mixture with a large spoon and form the mixture into a slightly flattened, oval meatball about the size of a small egg.
9. Place the meatballs into the heated skillet, and fry for about 15 minutes per side, until the meatballs are well-browned and no longer pink in the center.
10. Serve them warm with mashed or boiled red potatoes, sweet and sour cabbage and hot brown sauce.

ChefSecret:  A Danish meal won’t be complete without a plate or basket of freshly made abelskievers (a little like a Danish donut hole) covered in powder or cinnamon sugar.

Quip of the Day:  Last year I had to throw out all my Danish currency... I didn’t want to spread Kronervirus.” 😊
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

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