Tonight's menu is Swedish meatballs, mushrooms and egg noodles? Not exciting, but a nice bottle of wine might liven things up a bit. What wine would you pair with this? Thanks!

Barbera Di' Alba seems appropriate.

Thanks. I happen to have a bottle in the basement and any leftovers should go nicely with with tomorrow's pasta.

leftovers? professore, are you kidding? the school is out, live a little!

You're right. But as a pathetic defense it was a weeknight and my wife was on call, so she wasn't helping out in case she had to go back in to the hospital. I promise to try harder next time!

i'm gonna let it go this time and issue a verbal warning. don't push your luck though!

My girlfriend makes some fantastic swedish meatballs, although they're not particularly swedish.

Just mix the minced meat with a healthy dose of grated parmesan, salt and black pepper. Add some lemon juice, fresh herbs (parsley, thyme and/or oregano) and if you like, one egg, but that's not necessary.

Roll the meatballs and fry them in the pan. Yum.

aren't they finnish meatballs then?
here is my recipe:
fry sliced shallots and garlic in olive oil and butter untill brown, chopped parsley and some white wine and simmer for few minutes.
soak white bread with crust and all in milk for 15-20 minutes, squeeze dry and chop finely. in a bowl mix meat - whatever you like really, beef, lamb, turkey, buffalo, ostrich - with bread, shallots and parsley, salt, pepper and two eggs. combine well and shape into medium size balls. heat olive oil in a pan on high, brown meatballs on one side for 2-3 minutes, turn over lower heat, add some water and cover. let cook for 12-15 minutes. uncover and increase heat for 1 minute to add colour. and that's it, you are done. don't forget to spoon the pan juices over the meatballs.

how about something a bit more exciting involving minced meats?
"Turnips stuffed with rabbit"
12 smallish purple top turnips
rabbit, meat off and through the grinder
tablespoon of duck fat
1 red onion
salt, pepper, olive oil
1 tablespoon confectioner sugar
1 teaspoon Xeres vinaigre
some chicken stock
thyme

wash and clean turnips, cut the tops off (2/3 bottom, 1/3 top), clean the insides.
mix rabbit meat, with fat, finely chopped onion, salt, pepper,thyme. stuff the turnips with mixture.
put turnips in a shallow dish, add chicken stock to cover 1/3 . cook in the oven for 40 miinutes at 350-360 degrees, pouring stock over turnips every 10 minutes.
combine cooking liquid from turnips with sugar and Xeres vinaigre in a small pot, reduce to caramel like consistancy and pour over turnips. serve hot.

Grunie, you made me hungry!

By the way, I forgot to mention the garlic in the Finnish meatballs recipee.