Akvavit Meatballs

According to popular legend, King Charles XII of Sweden brought the protorecipe for these meatballs back to his native country following an exile in Istanbul. Our nutritious version of this classic comfort-food plate—which we’ve named after Akvavit, the Scandinavian herbal spirit—incorporates many of its traditional components, like egg, onion, allspice, salt, and pepper. However, we replace the usual ground beef and pork with locally raised turkey, for a leaner protein source rich in B vitamins. Similarly, our gravy hits the nostalgic notes—thyme, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce—of traditional versions, but we forgo the beef stock and swap out the plain flour with a gluten-free buckwheat variety, which provides plant-based protein, magnesium, copper, and heart-healthy compounds like rutin.