It couldn’t be more German 😊: Königsberger Klopse (Balls of the Mountain King)

Tell me you are German without telling me you are German. Well, at least in Europe it is enough to have this wonderful dish on your plate to be recognized as a German.

The dish is named after the former German city Königsberg which is nowadays a part of Russia and called Kaliningrad. Therefore, it is a dish that has its origin in German and Russian cultures. Königsberger Klopse is still a very common traditional German dish that is cooked all over Germany.
The first time it came up is about 200 years ago and was allegedly first made by a cook of a merchant family living in Königsberg. In the beginning, This dish was rather for wealthy people, given that the meat and also the capers were very expensive.
The potato was introduced in Germany in the 17^th century and became very popular after Friedrich the Great advertised it regularly to the German people.
Meat in general is very popular in Germany and was eaten, if possible, most of the time.
Capers were used in ancient Greece and are very popular all over Europe. There are references to capers from Biblical times.

Königsberger Klopse is a big part of the life of my family and also for most Germans. Especially for me, who was a very picky eater when I was young, this dish was one of the only ones I ate without any hesitations. Furthermore, nowadays it is a very cheap dish and after a few times also very easy to cook. All ingredients can be bought easily in a grocery store and there are many different receipts for how to make them.
Another part of why it is important for me is, especially after I left Germany, that cooking and eating the dish always takes away my homesickness and reminds me of my childhood.

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 2 slices day-old bread
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 small onions, 1 chopped finely, 1 quartered
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 to 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth, or beef broth
• 5 whole black peppercorns, cracked
• 4 juniper berries, cracked, optional
• 1 bay leaf, optional

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 24 capers, drained
• 2 to 4 ounces white wine, or broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 to 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 pinch sugar, optional

Firstly, broth ingredients (stock, bay leaf, cider vinegar, white wine, peppercorns, and 2 tablespoons of capers) need to be heated and simmered at medium heat. Other ingredients that are required to prepare the dish are ground pork, which is formed into meatballs and then placed into the hot broth, potatoes, which are cooked for 25 minutes, and capers.

There are many ways how to prepare and spice it up. Take a look around and you will find something that you will like.

So go out now and discover the easy but tasty dish from Germany!

Bibliography

BecR2400. “Recipes.” Recipe – Food.com, Food.com, 16 Dec. 2004, www.food.com/recipe/konigsberger-klopse-german-meatballs-in-creamy-caper-sauce-106298.

“Königsberger Klopse.” German Cooking | German Food Guide, www.germanfoodguide.com/cookingdetail.cfm?cooking_nr=28.

McGavin, Jennifer. “Bite into These German Meatballs in White Sauce (Königsberger Klopse).” The Spruce Eats, www.thespruceeats.com/meatballs-in-white-sauce-recipe-1447156.

Bibliography Images

Stefan_Lieder. “Königsberger Klopse Von Stefan_lieder: Chefkoch.” Chefkoch.de, Chefkoch.de, 13 Dec. 2011, www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/1998981323763212/Koenigsberger-Klopse.html. Retrived April 2023

Www.facebook.com/dirndlkitchen. “The Best German Meatballs Recipe (Königsberger Klopse).” Dirndl Kitchen, 18 Jan. 2023, dirndlkitchen.com/konigsberger-klopse-a-german-meatball-recipe/. RetrivedApril 2023