Full confession: I never have known what Swedish meatballs were.

I knew of them, of course. But I never knew what made them Swedish, or at least “Swedish.” So I did a little research. In Sweden, meatballs are called kottbullar (which is now the first and only Swedish word I know), and they usually are made with ground beef or a mix of ground beef, pork and sometimes veal, and they are finished in a sauce of broth and cream.

I made these once using the combination of ground beef and pork listed in the ingredients, and once using 1 1/2 pounds of the “meatloaf mix” you can find in the meat section of many supermarkets. The latter is a combination of beef, pork and veal. Both worked perfectly.

Panko breadcrumbs are packaged dried Japanese breadcrumbs that are a little larger and flakier than their Italian cousins. These days they are sold alongside the other breadcrumbs, but if you have trouble finding them check the international aisle. I love their texture, which is a little lighter than the more finely ground version.

This recipe makes very saucy meatballs, which I served over orzo for friends and family, and then over couscous for a twist, also to high acclaim. You could cut the amount of broth and cream in half if you wanted more of a glaze than a sauce.