Martha Stewart says meatballs will be 'delicious' if you add 1 unusual ingredient

Eighty-three-year-old Martha Stewart is a beloved cooking icon across the pond, with her various best-selling cookbooks and TV shows renowned for their easy-to-follow recipes. Martha, who hosted a cooking show alongside award-winning rapper Snoop Dogg from 2016-2020, also shares many of her favourite recipes online, sharing her twists.

One such recipe includes what some consider to be an unusual addition, but the businesswoman says it's an easy way to get a 'delicious' meatball meal. Meatballs are a versatile source of protein, traditionally served in an Italian-style pasta with tomato sauce. Still, there is another popular version of the dish. Those who have been to IKEA will be all too familiar with the Swedish take on meatballs, served as a cheap and cheerful option for those who are either exhausted from roaming the large store or waiting for someone else to finish doing so.

On her blog, Martha shared her attempt at replicating the Swedish meatball recipe, except the best-selling culinary author opted against a distinct IKEA ingredient.

"During the busy holiday season, it's nice to know one can depend on Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon to provide delicious, nutritious, and time-saving meal kits," she wrote, describing her mealtime delivery service.

"Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we test many of the recipes we offer in our delivery meal-kit service to ensure we're sharing the best ones with all of you.

"Last week, my housekeeper, Elvira Rojas, prepared another great dish - Creamy Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles & Cranberry Relish. It was a perfect lunch, and just as promised, all the ingredients were delivered fresh and pre-portioned, ready to cook. Plus, like all our meals, it was done in 40 minutes or less."

A traditional Swedish meatball dish features a tangy lingonberry sauce that complements its creamy sauce, fluffy mash, and the meatballs.

But, likely due to lingonberries not being as readily available, Martha settled for a cranberry jam. Lingonberries are slightly less acidic than cranberries, making them a bit sweeter.

For the recipe, "In a medium bowl, [Martha] combines the pre-portioned and packaged cranberries with one-and-a-half tablespoons of sugar, two-thirds of a cup of water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

"She adds the cranberry mixture and cooks until the mixture is thick and jammy. She also mashes the cranberries with a fork.

"[When the recipe is complete] The meatballs are garnished with a sprinkling of the remaining dill and served with some of the cranberry relish. It was delicious and just the right amount."

For the full recipe, visit this link.