Koenigsberger Klopse (Meatballs in Caper Sauce)

This one is another trip down Childhood Memory Lane. A kids favourite, these Meatballs, I bet you, they are still on the menu on many a school lunch in Germany. But that is not a bad thing. Wait until you try them.

First make the meatballs. I used just lean minced beef but traditionally it would be half beef half pork mince.

Ingredients for the meatballs:

500g Minced Beef and Minced Pork mixed

3 slices of white Bread, soaked in 100 ml milk

1 small onion, chopped finely

1 Egg

Salt and Pepper

Squeeze the milk out of the bread and then mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Using wet hands shape the meatballs. The size it up to you. Some like them smaller some want big ones.

Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil ans season the water with a little salt.

Then drop the meatballs in and let them simmer until they rise to the top.

Take them out of the pot and keep aside. The cooking water will be part of the sauce, so don't throw it away.

Next make the sauce.

70g plain Flour

70g Butter

100 ml cold milk

900ml of the cooking water

1 small jar of brined (not salted) capers

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Pinch of sugar

Salt and White Pepper to taste

Melt the Butter in a pan then stir in the flour and add the cold milk make a roux, stir constantly and quite violently to disperse any lumps. Then add the cooking water bit by bit until a lovely sauce is created. Stir in the capers (brine and all) and season with the lemon juice and sugar to taste.

Return the meatballs and reheat. Serve with potatoes and veggies or salad or both.

Kohlrouladen (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

When I was a child, this was another one of my favourite dishes. The cabbage tastes so sweet and tender with the delicious gravy to mash up your potatoes in. Just perfect!

I'd like to share my recipe here with you.

Ingredients:

1 large Tenderheart Cabbage

1 Onion

250g Minced Beef

250g Minced Pork

100g Bacon Lardons

1 tbs Breadcrumbs

1 Egg

1 tsp Caraway Seeds

500 ml Beef Stock

Sea Salt and Pepper

1 tbs plain Flour for thickening the sauce

Carefully remove the outer 7 leaves from the Cabbage.

Cut out the stalky core bit and blanch the leaves for 3 minutes in simmering salted Water seasoned with the Caraway Seeds.

Choose the 6 best leaves to make the Roulards with. 

Chop the 7th leaf into small bits.

Make the filling by combining the minced meats, chopped Onion, chopped extra cabbage leaf, Breadcrumbs and Egg. Season with Salt and Pepper and mix well.

Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions.

Take a blanched Leaf and put a portion of the filling in the middle. Roll it up tightly, folding in the sides and leaving the seam facing down.

On a gentle heat fry the Bacon lardons until they have released their fat. Scoop out the Lardons and set aside. Then lift in the Cabbage Roulards and brown them on all sides, taking care not to unravel them.

Once nicely browned, pour in 200ml of the Beef stock and scrape the tasty bits from the bottom. Cover with a lid and braise on a low heat for about 20 minutes.

Transfer the Roulards into a baking dish and sprinkle in the Lardons.

Add the remaining Beef stock to the Braising pan and whisk in the flour. Bring back to a boil and simmer until glossy and thickened to a nice gravy consistency.

Pour the gravy over the Roulards.

Heat this now in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile cook some Potatoes and Vegetables to go with it.