Königsberger Klopse – Traditional Prussian-Style Meatballs with Capers

Preparation

1. 01

   Step 01

   Cut the bread into small cubes and soak in milk. Let stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess milk thoroughly by hand.

2. 02

   Step 02

   Finely chop the onion and anchovy fillets. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, squeezed bread, egg, chopped onion, and anchovies. Season with salt and pepper and knead by hand for 5-6 minutes.

3. 03

   Step 03

   Shape the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs (approximately 40-50 g). Lightly moisten your hands and roll into smooth balls. You should get approximately 10-12 meatballs.

4. 04

   Gentle simmer over low heat

   In a large pot, bring the water, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat; the water should continue to simmer gently, not boil vigorously.

5. 05

   simmering over low heat

   Carefully lower the meatballs into the simmering water. Cook over low heat for 15-18 minutes, keeping the water at a gentle tremble. The meatballs are done when they float to the surface.

6. 06

   Boiling

   Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water in a separate pot for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, drain and keep warm on the side.

7. 07

   Step 07

   Remove the meatballs from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Strain the poaching liquid into a bowl; set aside approximately 400 ml for the sauce.

8. 08

   sauté over medium heat

   In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes; the raw flour smell should disappear but the roux should not take on any color.

9. 09

   cook over low heat

   Gradually add the reserved hot poaching liquid to the roux, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until you have a smooth, pourable sauce. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes.

10. 10

    Step 10

    Add the capers and lemon juice to the sauce and stir.

11. 11

    Stirring over low heat, do not boil

    In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the cream. Slowly add 2-3 tablespoons of the hot sauce to the egg-cream mixture to temper it. Then, whisking constantly, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Remove from heat; the sauce must not boil or the egg will curdle.

12. 12

    Warming over low heat

    Return the meatballs to the saucepan and warm them in the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a serving plate and generously spoon the caper sauce over them. Serve hot alongside the boiled potatoes.