Königsberger Klopse
Veal meatballs in caper sauce
Königsberger Klopse: Prussian veal meatballs in white caper sauce with boiled potatoes
GermanKönigsberger Klopse come from old East Prussia, but today they are cooked all over Berlin and eastern Germany as a weekday family dinner and a school-canteen favourite. Soft meatballs of veal, or veal mixed with pork, are poached in broth, then served in a creamy, lemony white sauce dotted with capers, with boiled potatoes and beetroot salad. A little anchovy in the meat is traditional and gives a savoury depth without tasting of fish. Chef's tip: poach, never boil, the meatballs; a gentle simmer keeps them light and stops them breaking.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 stale white bread rollabout 50 g
- ½ cup milk
- 1 onionvery finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 3 anchovy fillets (optional)finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
For poaching
- 5 cups beef or veal stock
- 1 bay leaf
For the sauce
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- ¾ cup single cream
- 3 tbsp capersdrained
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 egg yolk (optional)
- 1 pinch sugar
- 2 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak the 1 stale white bread roll in the ½ cup milk for 10 minutes, then squeeze it out well and crumble it into a bowl.
10 minStep 2: Add the 1 ⅓ lb minced veal (or half veal, half pork), 1 onion, 1 egg, 3 anchovy fillets, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp white pepper and mix with wet hands until evenly combined. Shape into 12 balls the size of a small egg.
10 minStep 3: Bring the 5 cups beef or veal stock to a simmer with the 1 bay leaf and 3 allspice berries. Lower in the meatballs and poach gently, with the stock barely bubbling, for 15 minutes, until a thermometer in the centre of one reads 160°F and the inside is no longer pink. Lift them out and keep warm; strain and keep 600 ml of the stock.
18 minStep 4: Melt the 1 ⅜ oz butter in a saucepan, stir in the 1 ⅜ oz plain flour and cook 2 minutes without browning. Gradually whisk in the hot stock until smooth and simmer 5 minutes until it thickens.
8 minStep 5: Stir in the ¾ cup single cream, 3 tbsp capers, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 pinch sugar and season to taste; it should be tangy and lightly creamy. Take off the heat. For a richer sauce, whisk the 1 egg yolk with a ladle of sauce and stir it back in without boiling again. Boiling after the yolk is the common mistake: it curdles.
5 minStep 6: Return the meatballs to the sauce for 2 minutes to warm through. Serve with boiled potatoes and scatter with 2 tbsp parsley.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does königsberger Klopse take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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