Königsberger Klopse with Caper Cream Sauce

⏱ 60 min · Serves 4

Tender veal-and-pork meatballs poached in a lemony broth, then cloaked in a silky white sauce shot through with capers. Old-school Prussian comfort food — serve with buttery potatoes and a spoonful of beetroot on the side.

Per serving: 710 kcal · 42.0g protein · 56.0g carbs · 35.0g fat

Ingredients

• 500g minced veal (or half veal, half pork)
• 1 white bread roll, stale, soaked in milk and squeezed dry
• 1 small onion, very finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 anchovy fillets, mashed (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• Salt and white pepper
• 1.2 litres light chicken or veal stock
• 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1 small onion halved
• 40g butter
• 40g plain flour
• 100ml double cream
• 3 tbsp capers, drained, plus 1 tbsp of their brine
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 800g floury potatoes, to serve

Method

1. Mix the veal, squeezed bread, chopped onion, egg, anchovy, mustard, allspice, 1 tsp salt and plenty of white pepper. Knead for 2 minutes until sticky, then wet your hands and roll into 12 golf-ball-sized klopse.
2. Bring the stock to a bare simmer with the bay leaf, peppercorns and halved onion. Lower in the meatballs and poach very gently for 15–18 minutes, never letting it boil. Lift out with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
3. Strain the poaching stock and measure out 600ml. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes without colouring. Whisk in the hot stock a ladle at a time to a smooth sauce; simmer 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream, capers, caper brine and lemon juice. Season with salt and white pepper. Take off the heat, whisk the egg yolk with a spoonful of hot sauce, then stir it back in — do not boil again.
6. Return the klopse to the sauce to warm through for 2 minutes. Scatter with parsley and serve with the boiled potatoes.