Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 small ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
  • 3 slices 1-inch-thick, good-quality white bread, crusts trimmed
  • About 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 pounds ground sirloin
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 large egg plus 1 yolk, lightly beaten
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 1/2 to 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chunked*
  • Salt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons horseradish, to your taste
  • Coarse black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped chives
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • Coarse black pepper
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Method

  • For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Heat a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat; melt the butter.
  • Add the onion, celery and garlic; season with salt, pepper and thyme.
  • Cook to tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Deglaze with the sherry or wine; cool.
  • Soak the bread in milk while the veggies cool.
  • Place the meat in mixing bowl; season with salt and pepper.
  • Squeeze the liquid out of the bread and crumble into the bowl.
  • Add the cooked vegetables, parsley, Worcestershire, mustard and eggs; combine to mix but do not overwork.
  • Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and roll the meat into 24 balls.
  • Spray with cooking spray and roast about 15 to 18 minutes until lightly crispy and golden and cooked through.
  • Cool and store for a make-ahead meal.
  • Reheat, covered, in a preheated 375-degree F oven with a splash of water or they will stick in the bottom of the dish.
  • Once meatballs are hot, uncover and crisp up for 5 minutes.
  • For the mash: Fill a pot halfway with cold water.
  • Peel and add the potatoes as they are chopped or, if you peeled up the potatoes ahead, place in a pot and fill with fresh water.
  • Add enough water to cover the potatoes, then cover the pot and place over high heat to bring to a boil.
  • Once the water boils, remove the lid, salt the water and cook, uncovered, at a low boil until tender to fork.
  • Drain and return to hot pot.
  • Mash the potatoes with the sour cream and cream, a liberal dose of pepper, horseradish and chives; salt to your taste.
  • If you wish to make the potatoes ahead of time and hold them for a couple of hours, place an inch of water in a large pot and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and place a smaller pot, filled with the potatoes, into simmering water and cover that pot.
  • For the gravy: Melt the butter in saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Whisk in the flour and bring to a bubble; whisk in the stock and Worcestershire, season with pepper and thicken.
  • Temper the egg yolk by lightly beating a ladle of gravy into it, then whisk into the sauce.
  • Cool and store; reheat over medium heat, adding a little more stock, if necessary, to loosen.
  • Serve in shallow bowls.
  • Spoon in enough potatoes to gently mound up in a bowl, then arrange a few meatballs in the center of the mound.
  • Ladle gravy down over top and garnish with parsley.