Konigsberger Klopse (German Meatballs in Creamy Caper Sauce)

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 lb ground veal
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1/4 cups fine plain breadcrumbs (I use Progresso plain breadcrumbs, grandmother used a ground up hard roll)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, zest of, small finely chopped
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 3 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 3 tablespoons anchovy paste or crushed anchovy fillets (alternatively you may use sardines or herring)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• flour (for rolling)

Broth

• 1 (32 ounce) box chicken stock or vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup good quality dry white wine (I use fume blanc or extra dry champagne)
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons capers

Sauce

• 1 lemon, zest of, small finely chopped
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 1 cup good quality sour cream
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, combine meatball ingredients, mix well.

3. 3

   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.

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   To Make Cream Sauce:.

6. 6

   To hot broth stir in the sauce ingredients and heat through, but do not boil.

7. 7

   Add the cooked meatballs to the heated sauce, stir gently and warm through.

8. 8

   To Serve:.

9. 9

   Serve Meatballs and Cream Sauce with boiled new potatoes or hot buttered spaetzle noodles, and German Rotkohl recipe #108449. Sprinkle with snipped fresh parsley, for garnish.

10. 10

    To Serve as an Appetizer:.

11. 11

    Make the meatballs smaller and serve warm from the crock pot with toothpicks, buttered rolls and potato salad recipe #309891.

12. 12

    Freezes well.