Koenigsberger klopse (meatballs in caper sauce)

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ pounds Minced beef
½ pounds Minced pork
1 Slice stale bread
1 tablespoon Butter; melted
Salt
Black pepper; freshly ground
3½ tablespoon Fine dry breadcrumbs
1 Onion; grated
1 Egg
2 Anchovy fillets; finely chopped
3¼ cup Beef stock
1 Egg yolk
1 tablespoon Capers
Lemon juice; or
Wine vinegar
55929 7. Typed by Heiko Ebeling.

Directions

Trim the slice stale bread, soak it in water and squeeze it dry. In a large bowl, combine the minced beef and pork with the bread, ½ tablespoon of the breadcrumbs, the onion, egg, anchovy fillets and melted butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well.

Shape the mixture into 8 large meatballs.

Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Drop in the meatballs and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and put them aside.

Stir the remaining breadcrumbs into the stock and simmer gently for a few minutes to allow the stock to reduce and to thicken slightly.

Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolk lightly. Add a few tablespoons of the hot stock and mix well. Stir the mixture back into the pan. Return the pan to low heat and stir until the sauce has thickened. Take care not to let it boil or the egg yolk will curdle.

Add the capers and a few drops of lemon juice or wine vinegar to taste. Return the meatballs to the sauce and reheat gently, making sure that the sauce does not boil. Serve in a ring of rice or accompanied by a potato puree.

This dish originated in Koenigsberg, formerly the capital of East Prussia. Berlin adopted it more than a century ago, however, and Berliners have come to regard it as their own.

Source: Jane Grigson (ed.): The World Atlas of Food. A Gourmet's Guide to the Great Regional Dishes of the World. Mitchell Beazley Publishers 1974. This edition: Spring Books, London 1988. ISBN 0 600 Submitted By HEIKO EBELING On 05-20-95

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