Classic Königsberger Klopse with Caper Sauce
Experience a heartwarming German culinary tradition with this recipe. Tender meatballs, made from a blend of veal and pork, are gently simmered in a creamy, tangy caper sauce. This dish is a true delight that evokes memories of grandma's kitchen and pairs perfectly with boiled potatoes.
Preparation
25 min.
Cook / Bake
40 min.
Servings
4
Calories
580 kcal
Ingredients
for 4 servingsAmounts are automatically adjusted.
For the Meatballs
- 1 sliceday-old white bread
- 60 mlmilk
- 250 gground veal
- 250 gground pork
- 1 largeegg
- smallonion(finely chopped or grated (optional if using finely ground meat without onion in recipe for texture/flavor preference, but traditional recipe uses onion, so keeping it in here in line with 'traditional recipe' aspect.) If you want to omit, you can. If you want to keep it, you can. Let's keep it for this instance of the recipe. If you decide to remove it, ensure it's removed for nutritional calculations too, if applicable to the prompt. Given the prompt requests 'Klassische Königsberger Klopse', it is standard to include onion. So let's include it. Let's keep it simple: 'small onion, finely chopped'. If it needs to be grated, we can specify 'grated' or 'very finely chopped'. Let's say finely chopped for now. If there's a reason for 'grated' specifically, I'll update. 'Finely chopped' is standard for meatballs usually. Let's keep it 'finely chopped'. Make sure it's consistent with 'finely chopped' as the instructions may mention it.)
For the Meatballs
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- 0.5 teaspoonblack pepper(freshly ground, to taste)
- 0.25 teaspoonnutmeg(freshly grated, to taste)
For Simmering
- 1 literwater
- 2 leavesbay leaves
- 5 wholeblack peppercorns
- 1 teaspoonsalt
For the Caper Sauce
- 50 gbutterMilch
- 50 gall-purpose flour
- 500 mlmeatball broth
- 100 mlheavy cream
- 2 tablespoonscapers(drained, roughly chopped if large)
- 1 tablespoonlemon juice(freshly squeezed, to taste)
- 1 teaspoonsugar(to taste)
- 1 pinchsalt(to taste)
- 1 pinchblack pepper(to taste)
Instructions
For the meatballs: Soak the slice of white bread in milk for about 5-10 minutes until soft. Squeeze out excess milk and crumble the bread into a large bowl.
Add the ground veal, ground pork, egg, finely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, and 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg to the bowl with the bread. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined but do not overmix, as this can make the meatballs tough.
Form the mixture into approximately 12-16 small meatballs, about the size of a golf ball. Set aside.
In a large pot, bring 1 liter of water to a simmer with the bay leaves, black peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon salt. Once simmering, carefully add the meatballs. Do not boil vigorously, as this can break them apart. Reduce the heat to low and let the meatballs gently poach for about 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. They should float to the surface when done.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the cooked meatballs from the pot and set them aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl. This is your meatball broth. You will need 500 ml (about 2 cups) for the sauce.
For the caper sauce: In the same pot (or a clean one), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the all-purpose flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes to create a roux. Do not let it brown.
Gradually whisk in the 500 ml of reserved meatball broth, ensuring there are no lumps. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
Stir in the heavy cream, drained capers, lemon juice, and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust the sweetness and tanginess as desired. Allow the sauce to gently simmer for another 2-3 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Return the cooked meatballs to the caper sauce and gently warm them through for a few minutes. Serve hot, traditionally with boiled potatoes and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired.
💡 Tipp
Nutrition per serving
Calories
580 kcal
Protein
38 g
Carbohydrates
25 g
Fat
36 g
Fiber
2 g
Recipe on TomTaste: https://tomtaste.com/recipe/classic-koenigsberger-klopse-with-caper-sauce
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