Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs from Königsberg)

Meatballs are a very popular dish in Holland, but we always roast or actually sear the meatballs, before we let them simmer in liquid until done. Klopse are only boiled in stock. I didn't like the idea, but when Meeta Wolff (What's for Lunch, Honey?) published this recipe, while she generally doesn't like cooked meat, I decided to give it try. I am so happy I did! These meatballs taste delicious and the sauce completes this dish in a wonderful way.
Königsberger Klopse are an old Prussian speciality which exists over 200 years. Königsberg used to be a German seaport city in East Prussia, but now the city is renamed Kaliningrad by the Russians and is a Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.
Thanking Meeta for her original recipe, I adjusted the recipe a little so it turned out AGA-proof.

Ingredients for the meatballs:
- 500 g ground beef
- a bread roll
- some milk for soaking the bread
- a large egg
- 4 to 6 anchovies, chopped in small pieces
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- some butter
- a bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- zest of a small lemon
- 500 ml beef stock
- pepper, salt, nutmeg

Method:
Tear the bread roll into pieces and soak in milk until soft. In the meanwhile, melt some butter in a small skillet and fry the chopped onion on the simmering plate until tender. Mix the onions, the egg, the soaked and pressed bread, the anchovies, parsley and zest with the meat. Add salt, pepper and ground nutmeg to taste. Use both your hands for this and take your time.
Bring the stock almost to boil in a large pan on the simmering plate and form small meatballs (about 15) which you gently put one by one in the simmering stock. Turn them carefully after 2 or 3 minutes and prevent the stock from boiling. Close the pan and transfer to the cooking oven for about half an hour. When ready, take the meatballs out and keep warm (or let them cool down in case you prepare the meatballs a day before making the sauce). Strain the stock and reserve it for the sauce.

Ingredients for the sauce:
- 30 g butter
- 30 g flour
- the strained stock
- 3 tablespoons capers (incl. the liquid)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 125 ml sour cream
-  a small glass dry white wine
- 2 egg yolks
- pepper, salt (some sugar)

Method:
Melt the butter in a large pot on the simmering plate until bustling. Add the flour and stir well. Let the flour simmer until golden: the flour must be well done. Now add the (hot) strained stock and keep stirring until the mixture is smooth (you won't need all the stock for this). Let it cook for a few minutes. Add the capers, lemon juice, cream and wine. Stir until the sauce is boiling again. Season to taste with salt, pepper and perhaps a little sugar.
Now take your pot from the simmering plate and whisk the lightly beaten egg yolks into the sauce. Add the meatballs, mix them with the sauce and transfer the pot with a lid on it to the cooking oven for half an hour. Because the sauce will be ruined when coming to boil, the cooking oven is the best place for heating the meatballs through. In case the meatballs are cold because you made them the day before, keep them for an hour or more in the oven.
Serve with boiled potatoes or with (AGA-baked!) bread.
Guten Appetit!

Klik hier om dit recept in het Nederlands te lezen.