Köttbullar are famous Swedish meatballs with a crispy brown exterior, and light, airy and tender texture on the interior. The original recipe for the dish first appeared in Cajsa Warg's 1754 cookbook. The meatballs usually consist of beef mixed with pork or veal, and the combination is typically seasoned with onions, salt, pepper, and allspice.
The mixture is shaped into small, round meatballs and browned in hot butter. This dish is traditionally accompanied by lingonberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and a thick gravy on the side, although lighter side dishes such as cucumber salad or red cabbage are also quite popular.
MOST ICONIC Köttbullar
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Wallenbergare is a classic Swedish patty made with ground veal which is mixed with egg yolks and cream, then rolled in breadcrumbs. The usual accompaniments include green peas, carrots, boiled or mashed potatoes, and lingonberry jam. There are different stories regarding the origin of this dish, but it is certain that it was named after Marcus Wallenberg, a member of a renowned Swedish family.
One story suggests that Wallenberg, after his return from a business trip, went to his favorite restaurant Cecile in Stockholm, and asked the chef, Julius Carlsson, to make a dish similar to the one he consumed on his trip. Another story suggests that the dish was created by Wallenberg's father-in-law Charles Emile Hagdahl, a famous Swedish chef, in the late 1800s.
MOST ICONIC Wallenbergare
A classic Swedish dish, biff à la Lindström is a piquant Swedish burger, which distinguishes itself from other burgers in its use of pickled beets and capers that add a unique flavor to it. Minced beef, eggs, chopped onions, pickled beetroots, capers, and seasonings are combined together and then formed into flat burgers, which can be either fried or grilled.
The burgers are served hot, usually for lunch, alongside boiled or roasted potatoes, green salad, kale, asparagus, or dark gravy. They can sometimes be topped with a fried egg or garnished with pickled beets and mustard. As with many classic dishes, this one also has several variations that call for mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs, heavy cream, or juice to be added to the meat mixture.
Jellied veal, or kalvsylta in Swedish, is a simple meat dish made with minced veal that is simmered in meat stock along with gelatin and seasonings. The jellied veal is then placed in a mold and cooled before serving. Traditionally served with other Christmas dishes on the Swedish Christmas buffet, kalvsylta is typically cut into slices and accompanied by beets, crackers, lingonberry jam, horseradish, pickled cucumbers, or mustard.
Pölsa is a classic Swedish dish made with ground beef or pork that is mixed with liver and hearts, combined with beef stock, chopped onions, barley grains, white pepper, marjoram, and ground allspice. The dish is believed to have its roots in the days when people had to use all parts of the animals and nothing was wasted.
It is typically accompanied by boiled potatoes, pickled beets, and (sometimes) fried eggs on the side.
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