Succulent spicy meatballs served in broth with cream and topped with fresh dill: this is what I call comfort food with a capital C, except this dish is light, not heavy. I made it for the first time one winter evening and have made it many times since then as it has proved very popular here at home. What inspired this creation? I might have Swedish meatballs in mind, but I added cumin, ground coriander, cayenne, and cilantro to spice things up a little…
Meatballs in spicy broth / Spicy meatballs in broth
…and then – inspiration! – I heated up some chicken broth, swirled in a couple of tablespoons of sour cream, I added the meatballs and, just before serving, I chopped fresh dill on top. This could probably be called a fusion dish as it combines flavors from various parts of the world. The cream and dill evoke Russian cuisine, the meatballs evoke the Middle East and Italy as well as Sweden. And, since I made it in my Parisian kitchen, it’s also French (imho)…
So, to get into specifics. The meatballs are made from a mixture of ground beef and pork (sausage meat), with onion and garlic as well as spices. I roasted the meatballs in the oven, which is lighter than frying and has the advantage of ensuring that they keep their shape. I then heated up some homemade chicken broth, which I make regularly and keep in small quantities in the freezer, for occasions like this.
When the meatballs came out of the oven, I swirled the cream in the broth (more = better), then added the meatballs with their juices. The finishing touch was fresh dill. My daughter prefers these meatballs with rice, while I prefer them on their own. To each his ownas they say (rough translation: “Whatever excites you”).
This is a very easy type of meal to prepare, as long as you have broth on hand. I made this last weekend when I got back from England and needed a quick dish for dinner. And what about England? People keep asking me about the weather. Well, rainy, windy, bitterly cold with the occasional sunny spell, but you don’t go to England for the weather. You didn’t even go to England to eat, but that’s changed now.
I had some fabulous meals over there and I’ll just name a few. An incredible Brazilian-style monkfish stew in tomato, onion, pepper and coconut milk sauce (recipe coming soon), spicy Trinidad and Tobago-style fish fritters, a vegetable dish made with wild garlic, cabbage urchin and other vegetables harvested in my friend’s London allotment (vegetable garden), a creamy soup of nettles harvested by another friend during a walk in the woods. That’s creative cuisine…
Happy cooking!
