Meatballs In Caper Sauce Konigsberger Klopse Recipes

KONIGSBERGER KLOPSE (GERMAN MEATBALLS IN CREAMY CAPER SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven such as Le Creuset, heat broth ingredients (stock, bay leaf, cider vinegar, white wine, peppercorns, and 2 tablespoons capers) to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, combine meatball ingredients, mix well.
• Form meat mixture into golf-ball sized balls (note: mixture will be a bit sticky and delicate to work with, but this is normal, and the result will be a moist and tender meatball!). Roll them in flour, and carefully place into hot broth; simmer each batch for 15 minutes, but do not boil. (Tip: do not crowd meatballs, ie only simmer about 10-12 meatballs at a time). Note that the broth will thicken as you add the flour covered meatballs, which will make a nice sauce.
• Carefully remove meatballs from the hot broth with a slotted spoon, and keep them warm in a covered bowl stored in the oven while making the sauce. Discard bay leaf.
• To Make Cream Sauce:.
• To hot broth stir in the sauce ingredients and heat through, but do not boil.
• Add the cooked meatballs to the heated sauce, stir gently and warm through.
• To Serve:.
• Serve Meatballs and Cream Sauce with boiled new potatoes (salzkartoffel) or hot buttered spaetzle noodles, and German Rotkohl recipe #108449. Sprinkle with snipped fresh parsley, for garnish.
• To Serve as an Appetizer:.
• Make the meatballs smaller and serve warm from the crock pot with toothpicks, buttered rolls and potato salad recipe #309891.
• Freezes well.

MEATBALLS IN CAPER SAUCE (KONIGSBERGER KLOPSE)

Steps:

• Meatballs:
• Soak bread cubes in milk to cover. When soft, squeeze dry and put in a large bowl.
• Add ground meat and mix well.
• Stir in onion, eggs, anchovy fillets, salt and pepper; work mixture with hands until well combined.
• Form into 2-inch balls.
• Bring bouillon to a boil in a large saucepan; drop in meatballs.
• Cook over medium heat until meatballs rise to the top, about 15 minutes. Remove from liquid with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• Strain and reserve liquid.
• Sauce:.
• Melt butter in a saucepan.
• Stir in flour and blend well, cook 1 minute.
• Gradually add 3 cups strained liquid; cook slowly, stirring constantly, until liquid is thickened and smooth.
• Add lemon juice and capers. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add meatballs and heat through.

GERMAN MEATBALLS WITH ANCHOVIES AND CAPERS KONIGSBERGER KLOPSE

Steps:

• FOR THE MEATBALLS: Mix all meatball ingredients together, using your hands.
• NOTE: Do not taste this mixture because it contains raw pork; also be sure to wash you hands well in hot soapy water when you have finished working with the meat mixture.
• Cover mixture and chill 2 to 3 hours until firm enough to shape easily. Roll into balls about the size of golf balls, arrange in one layer on a large tray, cover and chill 1 to 2 hours.
• TO POACH: Bring beef broth and water to a simmer in a large heavy saucepan over moderate heat Drop half the meatballs into the liquid, and when it returns to a slow simmer, adjust burner heat as need so that it ripples steadily but gently. Poach the meatballs uncovered for 20 minutes; remove to a heatproof bowl, using a slotted spoon, cover loosely with foil and keep warm. Poach the balance of the meatballs the same way and transfer to the bowl with a slotted spoon. Re-cover with foil and keep warm.
• FOR THE SAUCE: Boil poaching liquid hard until it has reduced to 2 cups-about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat; add shallots and stir fry about 5 minutes until limp and golden but not brown. Blend in flour and mellow 2 to 3 minutes over low heat. When poaching liquid has reduced sufficiently, whisk about half of it into the flour paste, stir this mixture back into pan of poaching liquid and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth-about 3 minutes. Stir in the capers, then return all meatballs to pan and warm them very slowly in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes with the kettle lid set on askew.
• NOTE: If you turn burner heat to lowest point, you can hold the meatballs at this point for nearly an hour; just make certain that the sauce does not boil. (Use a flame tamer underneath the saucepan.) And if the sauce should thicken too much, thin with a little water.
• When ready to serve, smooth the sour cream into the sauce and warm, stirring ever so gently so as not to damage the fragile meatballs, for about 5 minutes longer. Serve with boiled new potatoes an assertive green vegetable such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli.
• Serves 4 to 6.
• Jean Anderson Cooks.