Königsberg-style Meatballs (Königsberger Klopse)
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
2 cups slightly stale large bread crumbs from hard rolls
Enough water to soak breadcrumbs
2 pounds ground lean beef
1 pound ground pork
2 minced shallots, or 1 small white onion, minced
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TB juice from jar of capers
2 anchovies, minced, plus 1 tsp salt (or omit anchovies and use 2 tsp salt)
White pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg white
6 cups beef or veal stock
For the caper sauce:
4 TB butter
1 shallot, minced
4 TB flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 egg yolk
1 TB capers
Few drops lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pour water over breadcrumbs; when thoroughly soaked, squeeze out the water. Add soaked bread to the ground beef and pork, work with fingers to a paste. Add minced shallots or onion, lemon rind, lemon and caper juice, the minced anchovies, salt and pepper, then the beaten eggs and the egg white; work until smooth, form into 2-inch meatballs.
Bring broth to a boil. While boiling rapidly, add the meatballs, taking care ot to crowd the pot. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until meatballs come to the top. Strain broth and set aside.
Keep meatballs warm while preparing the sauce. Melt butter in skillet or saucepan, add minced shallot, cook until shallot is soft. Stir in flour, cook until it bubbles. Slowly stir in 2 1/2 to 3 cups strained broth and wine, simmer until smooth and thickened. Beat the egg yolk until thick, add some of the broth, then combine the two, cook, stirring constantly, until consistency of thick cream. Add capers and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, add more salt if it needs it, and pepper to taste. If sauce is too thick, add more broth. Add the meatballs to the sauce, keep them warm in the sauce until time to serve. Serve with salted boiled potatoes (Salzkartoffeln) and green bean salad (Bohnensalat).
Recipe from Betty Wason’s “Art of German Cooking”
The CookingBites recipe challenge: capers/caper berries
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
2 cups slightly stale large bread crumbs from hard rolls
Enough water to soak breadcrumbs
2 pounds ground lean beef
1 pound ground pork
2 minced shallots, or 1 small white onion, minced
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TB juice from jar of capers
2 anchovies, minced, plus 1 tsp salt (or omit anchovies and use 2 tsp salt)
White pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg white
6 cups beef or veal stock
For the caper sauce:
4 TB butter
1 shallot, minced
4 TB flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 egg yolk
1 TB capers
Few drops lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pour water over breadcrumbs; when thoroughly soaked, squeeze out the water. Add soaked bread to the ground beef and pork, work with fingers to a paste. Add minced shallots or onion, lemon rind, lemon and caper juice, the minced anchovies, salt and pepper, then the beaten eggs and the egg white; work until smooth, form into 2-inch meatballs.
Bring broth to a boil. While boiling rapidly, add the meatballs, taking care ot to crowd the pot. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until meatballs come to the top. Strain broth and set aside.
Keep meatballs warm while preparing the sauce. Melt butter in skillet or saucepan, add minced shallot, cook until shallot is soft. Stir in flour, cook until it bubbles. Slowly stir in 2 1/2 to 3 cups strained broth and wine, simmer until smooth and thickened. Beat the egg yolk until thick, add some of the broth, then combine the two, cook, stirring constantly, until consistency of thick cream. Add capers and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, add more salt if it needs it, and pepper to taste. If sauce is too thick, add more broth. Add the meatballs to the sauce, keep them warm in the sauce until time to serve. Serve with salted boiled potatoes (Salzkartoffeln) and green bean salad (Bohnensalat).
Recipe from Betty Wason’s “Art of German Cooking”
The CookingBites recipe challenge: capers/caper berries
