Swedish Meatballs

Everybody likes Swedish Meatballs right? I have even heard of people trekking to Ikea just for the Swedish Meatballs. I'm not kidding. It's like the meatballs have some kind of special powers. Like I said, everyone likes Swedish Meatballs. Which is why they have been served at cocktail parties probably since the beginning of time. I don't know if this an authentic recipe, in fact, I doubt it is. But it's good, really, really good and sometimes that's all that matters. The best thing about serving these for guests is that they can be made the night before and simply reheated the next day. Some might even say that they are better the next day. And as far as I'm concerned, that holds definite special powers.

I wish you all a fantastic New Year full of lots of love, laughter and of course, great food!

RECIPE (courtesy of Alton Brown and the Food Network)
2 slices fresh white bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside. In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into 1"rounds. Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven. Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.