IKEA’s recipe uncovered (it was on t’internet)

We’ve all been there.

Even if we don’t want to admit it.

IKEA is the place where dreams are crushed.

At first, it’s the place that solves all your furniture and home accessories woes.

But after an hour of following their marked out route…

(And I think I can safely say, we’ve all tried to take a short cut and failed. How do they manage to make I short cut impossible in that place!?)

…with your teeny pencil and large blue bag, you dutifully wander through the maze to find that wardrobe you needed.

And end up with two blue IKEA bags full of nothing you needed like a fake plant or ‘whacky’ lampshade.

The shame.

All is not lost

But and there is a ‘but’, the one saving grace that we can all agree on is the IKEA meatballs.

Some people make the trip to the dark IKEA hole on purpose, just for those meatballs.

The very place that can end relationships during its ‘shopping experience’.

And if you survive that, then most certainly it could all turn ugly at home as you enter the construction phase of your-flat-pack-everything.

But for those who no longer need flat-pack or have lost too many good relationships along the IKEA way but miss the meatballs.

Then stay tuned, I have good news.

But first some background…

IKEA facts

I was listening to a BBC podcast the other evening about the owner and founder of IKEA.

It was quite interesting and if I’m honest, a little depressing

The name, IKEA.

The self-made billionaire, Ingvar Kamprad, devised an acronym.

It’s the initials of his first and last names, plus the initials of the family farm where he was born (Elmtaryd) and the nearest village (Agunnaryd).

In 1956, Kamprad revolutionized the furniture market by introducing “flatpacking”.

Not perhaps the nicest guy

He had a reputation of having a rather disagreeable personality.

He even admired Hitler and become involved in the Nazi youth movement.

But later in life, said this was ‘the greatest mistake of his life’ and asked his employees for forgiveness.

Unfortunately, though, Kamprad moved IKEA headquarters from Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark, to avoid business taxes.

He also moved to Switzerland to dodge increasing taxes.

And he split the IKEA Group into a retail arm and a charitable arm.

But this, again, was to dodge tax.

He died in 2018 at a net worth at $48.1 billion.

So that’s what dodging taxes can help you achieve!

(Don’t get bogged down in hospitals, police, schools, transport etc for the good of the nation. fml)

I digress.

What’s so great about Swedish meatballs?

Size

Swedish meatballs are small, like golf balls.

Some Italian meatballs are much larger but never will you find a Swedish meatball super-sized.

Sauce

Swedish meatballs are cooked in a roux-based gravy that boasts a rich and savoury taste.

Slightly creamy brown sauce typically prepared with beef or bone broth and double cream.

Seasoning

The spices are what make them tasty and different from Italian meatballs.  

Using white pepper and allspice (the non-IKEA versions can also use nutmeg and ground)

Serving

Swedish meatballs are traditionally served with mashed or boiled potatoes and lingonberry jam.

FYI: lingonberry is a sour/tart, slightly sweet – slightly bitter fruit.

You can also serve them up with rice or noodles.

These meatballs are rich, flavoursome and I highly recommend giving them a go.

I would say, that, if you can make them a little earlier, say a couple of hours or more and pop them in the fridge.

Then reheat them, the flavours have settled a bit more and the dish is even tastier... if that’s possible.

Do you have any favourite meatball dish to share. Leave a comment or drop me a line.

I’m linking to CookBlogShare