Swedish meatballs with mash

• 1 tbspVegetable oil
• 40gPanko breadcrumbs
• 160mlSemi-skimmed milk
• 1Brown onion
• 250gBeef mince
• 250gPork mince
• 1Egg
• 1kgPotatoes
• 60gButter
• 2 tbspPlain flour
• 1 cubeBeef stock cube, in 400ml water
• 150mlDouble cream
• 1 tspSoy sauce
• 1 tspDijon mustard

Plus salt, pepper and water.

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan) and oil a large baking tray. Stir the panko into 4 tbsp of the milk and leave to soak. Finely grate the onion.

2. 2

   Add both minces, the egg, 1 tsp salt and plenty of pepper to the crumbs and onion. Mix well with your hands, then roll into about 28 walnut-sized balls and spread them out on the tray.

3. 3

   Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the tray halfway, until browned and cooked through with no pink in the middle.

   18 min, mostly hands-off

4. 4

   Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks. Boil in salted water for 15 minutes, until very tender.

   25 min, mostly hands-off

5. 5

   While they boil, melt 20g of the butter in a large frying pan and stir in the flour for a minute, until it smells biscuity. Gradually whisk in the stock cube crumbled into 400ml boiling water and bubble for 3 minutes until thickened. Stir in the cream, soy sauce and dijon and simmer for 2 minutes, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.

6. 6

   Drain the potatoes, let them steam dry for a minute, then mash with the rest of the butter and milk. Season well.

7. 7

   Tip the meatballs and any juices into the gravy and simmer for 2 minutes, turning to coat. Serve with the mash, or cool and pack into tubs with the mash alongside.