Swedish meatballs with cream gravy, cranberry sauce and smashed potatoes

Preheat the oven to 500F and cut the white onion into a very small dice.

Saute the onion in a squeeze of olive oil with a strong pinch of salt over medium heat four to five minutes, until slightly softened and just short of colouring.

Move the onion to a medium bowl and add the buttermilk, the egg and the white bread.

Stir with a spatula until the bread breaks down into a paste.

Add the ground beef and ground pork, then the minced garlic, salt, allspice, white pepper and grated nutmeg.

Fold and squeeze the mixture until homogenous and able to hold a ball shape.

Divide into 24 two ounce meatballs, about 60 grams each, rolling each in the palms to a tacky exterior and round shape.

Line them six by four on a sheet tray and sear in the 500F oven for 20 minutes.

Cranberry sauce: put the cranberries in a small sauce pan with the water, sugar and salt.

Bring to a simmer over medium high, stir to dissolve the sugar and cook down 10 to 15 minutes until the berries burst and it looks jammy.

Scoot into a glass container and chill 20 to 25 minutes to set.

Gravy: melt the stick of butter in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, stir in the flour to make a roux and work out the lumps for 30 seconds.

Fry the roux another half minute to toast the flour, then add the white wine and stir 30 seconds to cook off the raw alcohol.

Add the fortified beef stock, made from a box of beef stock, a splash of water, two packets of powdered gelatin and the beef base, blending it smooth with an immersion blender or whisk.

Stir as it comes up to a boil so the roux melts in and thickens the stock, one to two minutes.

Add the Dijon mustard, the wort and the heavy cream, stir, drop the heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate.

At about 25 minutes total, flip all the meatballs and return the tray to the oven five to eight minutes for a second seared side.

Season the gravy with a little more salt and move the meatballs into it, stirring gently, then hold over very low heat.

Potatoes: combine the rough chopped Yukon golds with enough water to cover, bring to a simmer over high heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes until softened but not mushy.

Drain and return to the pot, drop in the stick of butter and stir to smash to a mixed texture with some chunks left.

Taste and add a strong pinch more salt.

Plate a large dollop of smashed potatoes, stack four to six meatballs on top, finish with a generous dose of cream gravy and a spoonful of the cranberry sauce.