Königsberger Klopse (Creamy German Meatballs)
by Jay Wadams
A classic German dish of tender meatballs in a creamy caper sauce, Königsberger Klopse are comforting, elegant, and surprisingly light. Serve with boiled potatoes and some steamed greens.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 75 g fresh breadcrumbs or stale bread crumbled
- 75 ml milk
- 500 g pork mince (ground pork)
- 1 small onion very finely diced
- 2 anchovy fillet finely diced
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- small handful fresh parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- White pepper to taste
For the poaching broth:
- 1 L good beef or veal stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 black peppercorns
For the sauce:
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 25 g plain flour
- 400 ml poaching broth
- 150 ml pouring cream (heavy cream)
- 3 tablespoon capers in brine drained
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- White pepper to taste
- Salt if needed
To serve:
- Boiled waxy potatoes
- Extra chopped parsley
- steamed greens
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- MAKE THE MEAT MIXTURE: Soak breadcrumbs in the milk. In a bowl, combine pork, onion, anchovy (if using), egg, mustard, parsley, salt and white pepper. Add the soaked breadcrumbs and give the mixture a good knead with your hands until it is smooth and slightly sticky.75 g fresh breadcrumbs, 75 ml milk, 500 g pork mince, 1 small onion, 2 anchovy fillet, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, small handful fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon fine salt, White pepper
- FORM THE MEATBALLS: With damp hands, shape into golf ball-sized balls. You should get about 14-16 depending on how large you roll the meatballs.
- POACH: Bring the stock, bay leaf and peppercorns to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat so it is barely bubbling. Add the meatballs and poach gently for 15 minutes until cooked through. Lift out carefully and keep warm. Strain and reserve the broth.1 L good beef or veal stock, 1 bay leaf, 10 black peppercorns
- MAKE THE SAUCE: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until smooth and lightly browned. Gradually whisk in 400 ml of the hot poaching broth until smooth. Simmer gently until thickened.25 g unsalted butter, 25 g plain flour, 400 ml poaching broth
- FINISH THE SAUCE: Stir in the cream, capers and lemon juice. Season carefully. The sauce should be creamy, lightly tangy, not aggressively sour.150 ml pouring cream, 3 tablespoon capers in brine, Juice of ½ lemon, Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, White pepper, Salt
- COMBINE: Return the meatballs to the sauce and warm gently for 3-4 minutes. Do not boil.
- SERVE: Serve with boiled potatoes, steamed greens and a scattering of parsley.Boiled waxy potatoes, Extra chopped parsley, steamed greens
Notes
- Veal is traditional in this dish, but these days it's often hard to come by and expensive. I prefer to use pork mince, or a mixture of beef and pork. Look for finely ground mince for the best texture.
- The anchovies do not make the dish taste fishy, I promise! It adds savoury depth. If you're leaving it out, add a little more salt to the meatball mix.
- This dish improves after a short rest to let the flavours mingle. Reheat gently - microwaving this too aggressively can cause the sauce to split (it won't look beautiful, but it will still taste fine!)
- Keep the heat gentle once the cream is added or the sauce may split.
- The sauce should coat the meatballs lightly, not sit thickly on top. If it's too thick, thin it with a little more stock, cream or wine.
Nutrition
Serving: 4meatballs | Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1253mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 654IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 3mg