Studio 5: Frikadellen (by-heart comfort food)

When Studio 5 asked me to participate in their "easy like Sunday Morning" food series, 2 meals came to mind right away. They wanted recipes we knew by heart, those recipes we have made so often they aren't even written down, recipes with a story

In case you're wondering where the video is, I'm still trying to track down the embed code, hopefully it will up tomorrow, but in the meantime, you can see if at the Studio 5 website.

Both recipes are from my Mom; both use a pound of hamburger, have root vegetables and are served with mashed potatoes. One is called Frikadellen and the other has no name but for the sake of this post I've dubbed it Upside-down Shepherd's Pie.

{My Mom is youngest here, her sister Ingrid and her Mother}

These were my Mom's go-to, easy, inexpensive, but hearty meals to feed her family and now mine too.

My Mother is German and has a repertoire of some deliicous, beautiful European dishes, but growing up, meat was a speial treat for my Mom's Family, served solely for Sundays and special occasions.

Sundays continued to be those special 'meat' days when I was growing up, but there were 6 other days in the week and Mom got creative, finding ways to stretch a pound of hamburger to feel a family of seven.

Of course, we didn't know she was making ends meet; we loved these dishes and always got excited when she made them.

Frikadellen is a German dish, but similar versions are found in amny European countries. Our version has never been writeen down, but really, the beauty of this dish is you don't have much to remember.

Frikadellen

{Think meatball, but larger, more tender and served with mashed potatoes and gravy.}

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 large onion, chopped    and sauteed until soft.
2 garlic cloves, minced (add to onions)
1 egg
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, soaked in some mik and then squeezed out (or 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs.)
1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped
Seasonings: Salt, Petter, italian seasoning, few dashes of Worchestershire sauce.  Or your favorite seasonings!

Here's a step-by-step visual with instructions below.

Mix together ingredients, but don't over mix.  Form into 6 (give or take) oblong patties, about 1/2" thick.

Heat a small pat of butter and some olive oil in pan to med. high heat.  Gently place patties (because they will be soft) into pan and fry until brown on one side.  Gently flip over and brown the other side.  Remove from pan.

Make Gravy:  At this point if you want a mushroom gravy, add sliced mushrooms and saute until soft and slightly brown, add more oil if necessary.

Otherwise proceed to add a couple of Tbsp. of flour.  mix into the pans drippings until the flour has been absorbed. (at this point you can determine if you need more oil or flour, but in the end, you should have a brown paste that is mostly dry).

Cook for a few minutes on med. heat.  Add 2 cups of beef stock slowly, whisking it in.  You'll see the gravy take form and thicken.  It should only take a few minutes.

Add Frikadellen back into the pan with the gravy, cover and cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes or until patties are cooked through.

Serve with Mashed or boiled potatoes and some cooked vegetables. 

Upside-down Shepherd's Pie

{or Mom's no-name dish}
After 60 years, since my Mom made up this dish, another desperate "what do I make for dinner" dish, and one that we all love, we finally named it.

Well, a friend of mine did.  She said "its like upside-down Shepherd's Pie!" 

Not sure it will stick, but it helps describe it.

It's very comforting, because everything with mashed potatoes is warm & comforting.  The topping has many of the same ingredients than Frikadellen, but adds some smoked paprika and tangy tomato soup that's a nice compliment to the somewhat bland potatoes.  It's not the most elegant dish, but it's super quick to put together and kids love it!

1 pound ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (optional)
seasoning: smoked paprika, salt, pepper and oregano (or your fav. seasoning)
1 or 2 cans of Campbell's tomato soup
1 Cup beef broth 9or from bouillon
2 cups chopped cooked carrots
1 cup frozen peas.

Saute onions in some oil, add garlic for a few minutes until soft.  Add hamburger and cook until brown.  Add mushrooms until soft.

Add seasoning. Add soup.  Add beef broth.  Add carrots and peas.

If you want a saucier sauce, add the 2nd can of tomato soup.

Let cook on med-low heat for just a few minutes and heated through.

Serve over mashed potatoes. I like to make a well in the potatoes and fill it up until it's overflowing.

Enjoy, my very basic, inexpensive, by-heart, comfort dishes!