The $48 All-You-Can-Eat Swedish Sunday Brunch

Aquavit
65 E. 55th St., nr. Park Ave.; 212-307-7311

In what universe, you ask, can a $48 brunch (even one including an ice-cold Carlsberg or a “Danish Mary”) be considered a steal? The one in which you claim a booth in the posh Sunday-afternoon serenity of the Aquavit dining room, strategize a plan of attack, and proceed to decimate the lavish spread in the room next door. Can you eat $48 worth of various herrings and sundry salmons; Västerbotten cheese and Swedish crispbread; Swedish meatballs, braised brisket, and leg of lamb; and all of the other goodies that the kitchen replenishes as quickly as you scoop them up? Well, you can certainly try. And if you need guidance, management thoughtfully provides each table with a handy primer that begins like this: “1: Think of the Smörgåsbord as a three- or four-course meal. 2: Don’t overload your plate.” Happily, these are just suggestions, not commandments.



Traditional Swedish Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 cup evaporated milk, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
ground nutmeg to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of evaporated milk and stir, allowing the crumbs to absorb the milk. Add the ground beef, onion, egg, salt, ground black pepper and parsley to taste. Mix well and form into golf ball sized meatballs.
Heat remaining butter or margarine in the same skillet over medium to medium high heat and add the meatballs. Carefully shake the skillet to turn the meatballs, as needed. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes, or until meatballs are browned on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter, reserving the liquid in the skillet.
Add the flour to the skillet and stir until smooth. Then gradually add the evaporated milk, tomato sauce and nutmeg to taste; again stirring until mixture is warmed, smooth and creamy. Strain over meatballs.