Königsberger Klopse , meat balls in a caper sauce

Now this dish originates for the city of Königsberg  and that is how it gets its name . First you make your meat balls then poach them in a broth and finally finish them in a caper sauce. Now it is the fact that the meat ball are cooked in a stock as opposed to being fried make this dish special . 

You will need

50g/2oz German black bread crumbs  

225g/½lb minced  lean beef

225g/½lb minced  pork

225g/½lb. minced veal

4 Anchovy Fillets; Diced

2 medium Onion

2 Eggs

White pepper to taste

1lt/2pt salted water

1 Bay Leaf

6 peppercorns

1tbsp capers

Juice of one lemon

1tsp Dusseldorf Mustard or Dijon

50ml 2floz cup sour cream

28g/1oz flour

28g/1oz butter

Salt and pepper to taste

First make the meat balls take one of the onions dice it nice and fine and sweat it off in a pan. Then chop the anchovy’s and mix them in to the onions then add all the meat and the bread crumbs. Mix this with your hands so everything is nicely mixed together.  Finally crack the two eggs whisk them up add them to the mix and season with white pepper.  Form them in to small balls and let them sit in the fridge for about an hour before you cook them to let them firm up.

Now to cook the meat balls take the water, add bay leaf, peppercorns, the other onion and bring to the boil. Add the meat balls and then turn it down to simmer for about 20 minutes all depending on how big your meat balls are. Once they are cooked remove the meat balls from the stock and keep warm.

Now to make the sauce melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to from a roux. Then strain some of the cooking stock from the meat balls through a sieve. Add this to the roux un till you have a gravy like constancy.  Now add the capers, lemon juice, and mustard and bring to a boil then finish with the sour cream.

Classical served with boiled potatoes , place the meat balls on a plate and spoon the sauce over the top.