Everyday Recipe: Authentic Swedish Beanballs

Soak breadcrumbs or rolled oats in the milk for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, chunkily mash the beans, either by hand with a potato masher or in a food processor. (Whole beans have a tendency to fall out of the balls during frying.) Then add the milk mixture, onion, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Start working in the gluten flour either by hand or with the dough attachment of a food processor until mixture can be shaped with only a little stickiness left.

Shape the bean mixture into approx one-inch balls with damp hands. Wet your hands again if the dough gets sticky. Place the balls on a plate or a cutting board.

Heat a frying pan (cast iron is best) with the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil surface is quivering, add some beanballs, leaving space for movement in the pan. Shake pan so that they brown all around and fry until the balls have a hard ‘shell’. Fry the rest of the beanballs in batches.

Then, lower the heat and pour a thin layer of water into the pan to steam the beanballs with. Put the lid on and after-fry them until they feel a little elastic when you push down on them with a spatula. (One may need to add more water.)

Sauce (optional)

Whisk the flour into the milk or water in a saucepan. Add the buillon cube and bring to a boil while stirring. Let simmer for five minutes. Season with soy sauce and cream. If you like, put the beanballs in the sauce.

Serve beanballs without sauce with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam or stewed macaroni and a raw root vegetable/cabbage salad.

Serve beanballs and sauce with boiled or fried potatoes, pickles, and lingonberry jam and possibly a raw root vegetable/cabbage salad.

Variations

• Exchange the black beans for pinto beans, brown beans, or chickpeas.
• Breadcrumbs or rolled oats can be replaced by two medium boiled potatoes that are mashed or grated.
• Salt and pepper can be complemented with herbs, for example 2 Tbsp fresh or 2 tsp dried oregano, thyme, or marjoram.