Marinated fennel with goat cheese & capers

For ➍ as a side dish, for ➋ as a main 

1 fennel bulb 

1 tbs fennel seed 

½ ts sea salt 

1.5 dl virgin olive oil 

2 tbs capers oil (for frying) 

1 soft fresh soft goat cheese, French 

1-1.5 lemon 

Grind the fennel seed with the sea salt in a mortar (but not necessarily until it is a homogeneous powder) and mix the result with the olive oil.* Scrape the fennel into thin ribbons with a mandolin. Mix them generously with the fennel oil* and let them marinate (that is allowed overnight, but half an hour is also good). 

Rinse the capers and pat them dry. Heat a little oil in a saucepan and fry the capers until they get a meaty texture with crispy edges. Let them drain.** 

Sprinkle the capers over the fennel and serve with the goat cheese. Serve with crusty bread, which you can dip in the soft cheese and marinade. 

*Make a lower calories lemon oil marinade with 2tbs olive oil, juice & grated peel of 1-1.5 lemon. Add the fennel seeds & salt. 

**Don't fry the capers when short in time.

Eggplant with feta, mint rice & tomato sauce

For ➍ 

3 garlic cloves

5 tbs mild olive oil

10 cl balsamico

4 eggplants

1 tbs dried oregano

300 g three-color rice or nut rice

1 shallot

400 g polpa with basilic

½ tbs brown sugar

16 caper apples

200 g feta 43+ or vegan alternative

40 g fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Squeeze ⅔ of the garlic into a small bowl and mix with ⅘ of the oil and balsamic vinegar. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, leaving the stem on. Cut the eggplants on the cut side crosswise every centimeter and place them cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with half of the balsamic mixture and sprinkle with the oregano. Season with pepper and possibly salt. Bake for 35 m until soft and cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.

Chop the shallot and finely chop the rest of the garlic. Heat the rest of the oil in a small pan and fry the shallot and garlic for 2 m over medium heat. Add the finely chopped canned tomatoes, season with pepper and the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 m.

Cut the capers in half. Crumble the feta. Remove the leaves from the mint sprigs and roughly chop. Set aside 1 tbs mint (per 4 people) and mix the rest of the mint with the rice. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Sprinkle with the rest of the balsamic mixture and the caper apple halves. 

Serve with the mint rice and the tomato sauce and garnish with the feta, the reserved mint and some pepper.

Veal piccata

For ➍

600 g veal steaks

½ cup flour

50 g butter

3 dl olive oil

1.5 dl dry white wine

3 dl chicken stock

2 lemons*

30 g capers

flat leaf parsley

fresh pasta

parmigiano

arugula salad

sun dried tomatoes

white wine vinegar

Ask your butcher to flatten your veal steaks. Or place the pieces between plastic wrap that you have slightly moistened, and then gently flatten the meat with a large flat object such as a pan. .

Season the veal steaks to taste with salt and pepper and then roll them in the flour. Gently knock off the excess flour. 

Heat some butter and olive oil in a pan and fry the veal steaks for about one and a half to two minutes on both sides over a medium heat. Do not bake all the veal steaks at the same time, because then they will not have enough space and you will cook them rather than bake them. Remove the steaks when they are baked, cover them with aluminum foil, add butter and olive oil and fry the rest of the veal steaks.

Once the veal steaks are cooked, add the white wine and gently stir all the browning bits off. Let the wine reduce for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock. Cut 1 of the lemons into thin slices, them  and let everything reduce by 7-8 m.*

Add 20 g of soft butter, some lemon juice, the finely chopped parsley and the capers and season with salt and pepper. Allow the butter to completely dissolve into the sauce over a low heat. 

Place the veal steaks in the sauce, make sure they are nicely covered, and let them warm up a bit over a low heat.

Serve with fresh pasta, with some olive oil and Parmigiano. Delicious with a rucola salad with some semi-sun-dried tomatoes with pepper, salt, some olive oil and a dash of white wine vinegar. Sprinkle some Parmigiano flakes on the salad.

*or replace lemon slices with lemon zest and add at the end

White fish with caramelized citrus butter & capers

For ➋

2 firm slices of white fish fillet, preferably with skin (choose a firm type, such as halibut)

75 g butter + 1 cube for frying fish

2 tbs capers

1 organic lemon

12 sprigs of fresh oregano

freshly ground black pepper & salt

Preheat the oven to 90 ° C. First fry the fish in a pan that can also be put in the oven. Melt a knob of butter in it over medium to high heat and let it heat up well. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Bake about 4 m on one side, until you have something of a crust. Make sure that the butter does not burn. Lower the heat if necessary.

Turn the fish over and place about 10 m in the oven. (So ​​you do not cook both, but only on one side.) The fillet should be cooked but still juicy, depending on the size this can take a few minutes longer.*

In a second pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Wait until the butter starts to fizz, stir gently with a wooden spoon and keep stirring occasionally until the butter starts to turn golden brown after 5-10 m and smells like nuts.

In the meantime, cut half of the lemon into fine half slices and remove the seeds. Add to the butter together with the capers and fry for 5 m until the lemon starts to brown very slightly.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix in the oregano (keep 2 sprigs separate for the finish). Place the fish on plates and spoon over the sauce. Finish with the oregano sprigs and an extra turn of the pepper mill. Add the rest of the lemon in wedges. 

Serve with mashed spinach puree.

*Or bake the fish carefully in a pan.

Caponata

For ➍
2 eggplants
½ celery
2 medium onions
2 tbs pine nuts
6 tbs traditional olive oil
400 g canned tomatoes
200 g green olives stuffed with lemon
5 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs raisins
2 tbs capers
15 g fresh basil

Cut the aubergine into 1½ cm pieces and sprinkle with salt. Leave standing for 5 m. Pat dry with kitchen paper. 
Meanwhile, cut the green celery and chop finely. Cut the stems into thin arcs. Slice the onion in thin rings. Heat a frying pan without oil or butter and roast the pine nuts 3 m golden brown. Let cool on a plate. 
Heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry half of the eggplant golden brown . Remove from pan and repeat with rest of oil and eggplant. Put all the eggplant together in the pan, mix with the onion and celery and bake for4 m. Add the diced tomatoes, olives, vinegar and sugar. 
Stew with the lid diagonally on the pan over low heat for 30 m until done. 
After 15 m, add the pine nuts, raisins and capers. 
To prevent sticking, toss from time to time. Season with pepper and salt if desired.
Remove from heat and toss in the basil leaves and celery greens.

* Delicious with grilled fish, or / and couscous or ciabatta.
** You can also eat this dish as a starter.
*** You can eat the salad warm, lukewarm or cold.
**** You can make this dish two days in advance, but don't add the basil until just before serving. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

Fresh tuna & salade niçoise (French Riviera salad)

For ➏
400 g green beans, trimmed
750 g small potatoes
vegetable oil for brushing
20 g drained bottled capers
400 g lettuce (2 heads), leaves separated & large ones torn into pieces
1 bunch cherry tomatoes
100 g small brine-cured black olives
4 hard-boiled large eggs, quartered
3 tbs fresh parsley & basil, finely chopped
750 g (2,5 cm thick) tuna steaks*
ice-bowl with ice-cubes
20-25 cl (or 10 tbs for the salad +10 tbs for (optional) extra) salade niçoise dressing**

Cook beans in boiling salted water 3 to 4 m. Transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer 15 to 20 m, then drain. Halve potatoes while still warm (peel if desired) and toss with 2 tbs dressing in a bowl, then cool.
Prepare grill for cooking.
Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper, then grill on lightly oiled rack, uncovered, turning over once, until browned on outside but still pink in centre, 6 to 8 m in total. Let tuna stand for 3 minutes, then break into large pieces. Put tuna on a large platter and drizzle with 2 to 3 tbs dressing and top with capers.< Add potatoes to platter with tuna. Drain beans and pat dry. Toss beans in bowl with 1 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss lettuce in bowl with 2 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss tomatoes in bowl with 1 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Arrange olives and eggs on platter and sprinkle salad with parsley and/or basil. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

*You can do a light salad without the tuna. If you must, you can use canned tuna. If you prefer fully cooked tuna, try the marinating tuna recipe.
**Or try a lemon & mustard vinaigrette.

The salade was named niçoise by tourists, and originally meant a typical salad of the region, consisting mainly of tomatoes and olive oil. It became popular in the 60's, when scarcely clad, tan-hungry tourists from all over Europe were drawn to the French Riviera. The discussion thrives on about the original recipe of la sallada nissarda, mainly omitting green beans and potatoes from the now widely spread recipe.
The city of Nice is only a part of France since 1860. Before the treaty, it went its own way, mostly with Sardinian and Italian allies and influences, tough it was occupied by French (and Spanish) armies before. The Italian freedom fighter Garibaldi, born in Nice, tried to make it a part of Italy.
Picture in salade niçoise dressing shows the fishing nets on the beach of late 19th century Nice.
Read more Provençal recipes: salade niçoise dressing, Provençal garlic sauce, old-fashioned salade niçoise, Saint-Tropez (Provençal) chicken.

Mediterranean chicken skillet

For ➍
2 tbs olive oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1¼ ts salt
1 ts black pepper
1 large red onion, cut into 1.5 cm slices
800 g cherry tomatoes
800 g fresh green beans, trimmed*
1 tbs finely chopped garlic
1 tbs drained & rinsed capers
1½ ts chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
10 cl dry white wine

Preheat oven to 230°C. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken on all sides with ¾ ts of the salt and ½ ts of the pepper. Place chicken in skillet, skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until brown and crispy, about 8 m. Flip, and continue to cook until browned on other side, about 4 m. Transfer chicken to a plate. (Chicken will not be cooked through.)
Place onion slices in skillet in a single layer over medium-high; cook, undisturbed, until slightly charred, 4 to 6 m. Flip, and cook until charred on other side, about 2 m. Transfer to plate with chicken.
Add tomatoes and remaining 1 tbs oil to skillet; cook, undisturbed, until blistered, about 4 m. Add green beans, garlic, capers, and oregano; cook until fragrant, about 1 m. Sprinkle with remaining ½ ts each salt and pepper. Stir in white wine. Place charred onions on top of tomato mixture; nestle chicken into tomato mixture.
Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 m (probably more*).
Garnish with oregano before serving.

*It might be useful to pre-cook the green beans in water for 5 m.
**Or cook in skillet on stove-top for about 30-45 m.

Chicken piccata

For ➍
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied (halved horizontally)
30 all-purpose flour, sifted
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs unsalted butter
2-3 tbs dry white wine
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs salt-packed capers, soaked in water for 20 m, then drained, rinsed, & drained again
1 tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place chicken between plastic wrap or in plastic bag. Pound evenly until about 0.5 cm thick.*
Spread flour in a shallow dish; season with 1 ts salt and ¼ ts pepper; whisk to combine. Place chicken in seasoned flour, turning to coat thoroughly, then tap off the excess.
Heat the oil and 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter starts to sizzle. Cook the chicken in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan (the cutlets should fit snugly in a single layer) until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 m for each side. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the cutlet. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour out any excess fat from the pan.
Return pan to medium heat and add wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 s. (If the liquid is reducing too quickly, before all the browned bits have been incorporated, remove the pan from the heat.) Remove the pan from the heat. Add lemon juice, capers, and remaining 2 tbs butter and swirl until melted and combined, then add parsley and season with salt as desired.***
Immediately pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve.***

*Or put the chicken between sheets of wax paper. Pound it with a hammer or a pan or use a rolling pin.
**Shallots or garlic can be added with capers and slices of lemon. After reduction, butter is stirred in to finish the sauce.
***Serve it, like the Italians, after the pasta as secondo. Serve with vegetables or a salad.

Several authorities believe the name veal piccata, like chicken Parmesan and pasta primavera, was coined by Italian Americans in the United States in the 1930s.
Piccata is an Italian word, the feminine form of the word piccato, meaning 'larded'. It is also spelled picatta or pichotta. It is a translation of the French piqué, participle of piquer. When used in reference to a way of preparing food, particularly meat or fish, it means 'sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter and spices'. In Italian, piccata dishes are often referred to using the umbrella term, scaloppine, of which piccata constitutes just one variety.
Traditionally, the Italians use veal (piccata di vitello al limone) or swordfish (pesce spada con capperi e limone). In the USA, the best known dish of this sort uses chicken (hence: chicken piccata). In the United States, it is usually served with a starch, such as pasta, polenta, or rice.
Try a quick chicken piccata recipe.

Roast chicken with dates, olives & capers

For ➍
8 chicken legs, drumstick & thigh attached, skin on (2 kg net)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
15 g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish
3 tbs red wine vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
100 g green olives, pitted
60 g capers, plus 2 tbs of their juices
70 g Medjoul dates, pitted & quartered lengthways
2 bay leaves
12 cl dry white wine
1 tbs date syrup or treacle
salt & black pepper

Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 m (or up to 70 m, depending on the meat pieces' size), basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

This Ottolenghi favourite was inspired by the 1980's recipe for Chicken Marbella, a popular dish on Jewish pass over meals. Created in NYC, it blended influences from North Africa and Spain, as well as the mixing of poultry and fruit from Persia and the Middle East.

Frizzone (Italian vegetable stew)

For ➍-➏
3 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large eggplant, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 medium carrots, trimmed & chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
1 500 g can cherry tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
1 ts dried oregano
20 cl water
3 tbs fresh basil, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup olives, chopped
¼ cup salted capers, rinsed
salt & pepper
2-3 ts aged balsamico vinegar

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide bottom saucepan.
Add the onion, celery, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 to 10 m.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, water, basil, and half the parsley, and cook until the stew has thickened, about 20 m.
Stir in the remaining parsley, olives, and capers.
Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the balsamico vinegar.
Serve warm, or allow to cool to room temperature.

Grilled salmon & lemon

For ➍
3 lemons
1 red onion
1 clove garlic
6 tbs olive oil
3 tbs boiling water
2 tbs capers
4 Scottish salmon fillets
2 tbs parsley

Scrub the lemon and juice 1 the lemon. Chop the onion and chop the garlic. Heat ⅔ of the oil in a saucepan and add the red onion. Cook 4 m until the onion has softened.
Pour in the lemon juice and boiling water and add the garlic. Simmer on low heat for 3 m to reduce.
Add the capers.
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and brush lightly with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the remaining lemons. Heat a grill pan and grill the salmon fillets in 6 m. Overcooked. Turn halfway. After 2 m, add the lemons (cut side on the grill pan) beside the salmon until they are caramelized. The cutting edge is brown.
Cut the parsley finely and mix with the capers mixture. Place the salmon fillets and lemon halves on plates and spoon the mixture caper over the fish.
Serve with stir-fried spinach, pine nuts and couscous.

Samphire risotto

For ➍
200 g samphire
olive oil
2 tbs shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic
150 g risotto rice
1.5 cl white wine
50 cl stock
30 g Parmigiano cheese, grated
5 cl olive oil
1 tbs salted butter
5 cl cream
50 g capers
1 lime
20 g of finely ground coffee

Sauté the shallot and chopped garlic in oil. Add the rice and stew for a few m. Add the white wine.
When the wine has evaporated, pour half of the broth to the rice. Let the broth evaporate. Repeat and until the rice is almost cooked.
Add the grated cheese, olive oil, butter and cream. Cover and stir after 10 m into a creamy risotto.
Mix the raw samphire (keep a few tips separately) and capers into the risotto.
Sprinkle with some lime juice.
Sprinkle the samphire tops with olive oil. Add to the risotto. Sprinkle with the coffee.

Read tip for a quick risotto.

Spaghetti alla puttanesca 2 (Naples' hookers' spaghetti)

For ➍
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
salt & black pepper
1 50 g can anchovies packed in oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs tomato paste
½ ts crushed red pepper
750 g box or can chopped or crushed tomatoes
2 tbs drained capers
100 g pitted black olives, chopped
1 tbs chopped fresh basil
grated zest of 1 lemon
340 g spaghetti or other pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 m. Add the anchovies and garlic and cook, stirring, until the anchovies disintegrate and the garlic has softened, 2 to 3 m. Add the tomato paste and continue to stir for 1 m, then add the tomatoes, capers, and olives. Cover the pot, adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s thick and saucy, 25 to 30 m. Stir in the basil and lemon zest, and taste and adjust the seasoning.
When the water for the pasta comes to a boil, salt it generously and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, usually 7 to 8 m, depending on the package instructions. Reserve about 25 cl of the pasta cooking liquid and then drain the pasta.
Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the reserved cooking liquid as needed to thin out the sauce. Serve.

Variant & history:Spaghetti alla puttanesca.

Artichoke & olive crostini

For ➍
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 cup (120 g)large green pitted olives
1 tbs capers, rinsed and drained
6-8 medium canned artichoke hearts, drained
6 cl extra-virgin olive oil
8 large slices of crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
In a food processor, process the garlic, olives, capers, artichoke hearts and olive oil to a coarse paste.
Toast the bread on the oven rack for 6 m, or until crisp and browned.
Spread the olive paste thickly over the toasts and serve.

*Do ahead: the olive paste can be refrigerated for 2 days. Let it return to room temperature before using.

Pasta alla Norma (Sicilian pasta with tomatoes & eggplant)

For ➏
6 medium-sized eggplants, about 500 g, peeled if wanted
3 cloves garlic, chopped
500 g sun-ripened plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled & chopped*
6-8 basil leaves, shredded***
450 g spaghetti or rigatoni
60 g grated pecorino romano, salted ricotta or Parmigiano
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil (or corn oil) for frying**
1 small onion (optional)
1 tbs of capers (optrional)
½ ts hot pepper flakes (optional)

Peel and slice the eggplant into 1 cm slices, salt the slices, and let them sit in a colander for about 1 h. (Dice them if wanted). Rinse them, pat them dry (put on some weight to remove moisture), and fry them a few pieces at a time in hot oil, turning them so both sides brown, and setting them to drain on absorbent paper.**
Set water to boil, and while it's heating heat 16 tbs oil in a pot, sauté the garlic (and onion) briefly. Stir in the blanched, peeled tomatoes*. Season with salt and abundant pepper or ½ ts hot pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking the sauce figuring 15-20 m in all. 5 m before it's done, add the shredded basil***.
Keep an eye on the pasta pot while preparing the sauce, and as soon as the water boils salt it and cook the spaghetti.
(Meanwhile, pour oil into a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until popped open and crisp, 1–2 m. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.)
When the spaghetti are al dente, drain them and season them with the tomato sauce.
If you are bringing bowls of pasta to the table, divvy the spaghetti into four bowls and divide the eggplant slices among them. If you are instead serving a big bowl of pasta, season the pasta with the tomato sauce and them carefully mix the slices of eggplant into it.
In either case, sprinkle the pasta with much of the cheese, and serve it with the remaining cheese on the side.

* Use different types of tomatoes, sweet flesh tomatoes and tangy Roma tomatoes. Add ½ ts hot pepper flakes if wanted.
** To avoid the oil, bake or grill the eggplants.
*** Add a few stalks of thyme (optional).

'Pasta alla Norma' is a classic dish of Sicily. The lore of its origin goes back to a 19th-century opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, who was born in Catania, Sicily. As his fame grew, especially with 'Norma', a chef from Catania named his creative pasta dish after the opera.

Ensalada de garbanzos con pimentones e alcaparras (Spanish chickpea salad)

For ➍*
1 large red pepper (or use canned grilled peppers)*
250 g cooked chickpeas, rinsed if canned
1 tbs mint, chopped
1 tbs capers, rinsed
1 tbs fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
¼ ts salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided

In a large frypan, heat 1 tbs oil. Add the chickpeas and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until they are all golden brown (this takes about 10 m). Set aside to cool.

Cut the peppers* into 1 cm wide strips and put them in a large bowl together with the pan-fried chickpeas, herbs and capers.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, salt, garlic and oil. Pour over the chickpea mixture and combine.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate it for a few h/a day to get the flavors to mingle.

Serve as appetizer, a tapa, or as light meal, depending on the quantities.

(Add some chopped mint leaves just before serving.)

*Double quantities, serve half, put the other half in the refrigerator for the next day. Serve with chunks of grilled chicken fillet.
**If roasting your own peppers, preheat the oven broiler. Line a small roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place the pepper halves in the pan, cut side down, and place in the oven on the shelf closest to the broiler. Broil until the pepper skins are completely black, about 8-15 m. Remove from the oven, wrap the pepper in the foil and allow to stand for 10 m. Remove the foil and rub off the skins of the peppers. Set peppers aside.

Read a tip on cooking dried chickpeas.

Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs)

For ➍
meatballs:
150 g ground sirloin
150 g ground pork
150 g ground veal
1 large egg, slightly beaten
60 g fine plain breadcrumbs
5 cl milk
⅓ medium white onion, finely chopped
zest of ⅓ lemon, finely chopped
juice of ⅓ lemon
1 tbs capers, chopped
1 tbs anchovy paste or 1 tbs crushed anchovy fillets (or sardines or herring)
20 g melted butter
⅓ ts sea salt
¼ ts ground black pepper
flour (for rolling)
broth
3 dl chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 cl cider vinegar
4 cl dry white wine
3 black peppercorns
1 tbs capers
sauce
zest of ⅓ lemon, small finely chopped
juice of ⅓ lemon
1 dl sour cream
1-2 tbs snipped fresh parsley, for garnish

In a large saucepan, heat broth ingredients (stock, bay leaf, cider vinegar, white wine, peppercorns, and 2 tbs capers) to a simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, combine meatball ingredients, mix well.
Form meat mixture into golf-ball sized balls. Roll them in flour, and carefully place into hot broth; simmer each batch (10-12) for 15 m, but do not boil. The broth will thicken as you add the flour covered meatballs, which will make a nice sauce.
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.
To hot broth, stir in the sauce ingredients and heat through, but do not boil.
Add the cooked meatballs to the heated sauce, stir gently and warm through.
Serve meatballs and cream sauce with boiled new potatoes (Salzkartoffel) or hot buttered spätzle noodles and German red cabbage. Sprinkle with snipped fresh parsley, for garnish.

*To serve as an appetizer, make the meatballs smaller and serve warm with toothpicks, buttered rolls and potato salad.

Predecessors of the Königsberger Klopse date back to the Middle Ages. The Prussian name Klops (meat dumpling) didn't originate until the 18th century, when Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia, today known as Kaliningrad in Russia.

Salsa verde (cold green sauce)

For ➍
1 heaped tbs capers
8 small pickled gherkins
1 heaped tbs (sharp) mustard
½ bunch parsley, washed
1 bunch basil, washed
1 dl extra virgin olive oil (extra oil if necessary)
a dash of vinegar (e.g. white wine vinegar)
salt & pepper

Blend the gherkins, capers and mustard.
Add the basil leaves and parsley. Mix. Add the vinegar. Mix.
Add some olive oil. Mix until smooth.
Season the sauce with a little salt and pepper.
Put the salsa in a jar and put it cool.
Serve it with crown of lamb or other grilled or braised meat or grilled fish.

This version of green sauce is close to the Italian version of it, but the idea of chopping green herbs into a sauce is well spread, with the French sauce verte, the German grüne Sausse with different herbs, South American chimichurri, or the Mexican salsa verde, each in several regional versions. Originally, the sauce came from the Near East, and was brought to Italy by Roman soldiers. In the renaissance, it spread to France and Germany.

Mushrooms & garlic butter

For ➍
500 g white button mushrooms, halved lengthwise if large
2 tbs capers, rinsed & chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs vegetable oil
3 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 ts fresh lemon juice
3 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 230°C with rack in middle.
Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, ⅛ ts salt and several grinds of pepper in a shallow baking dish.
Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden, with a garlic sauce below, 15 to 20 m.
Stir in lemon juice and parsley.

Serve immediately, with crusty bread on the side for swiping up the juices. Drink a glass of spicy white wine with it.

Try a similar snack recipe, toast champignon.

Quick chicken piccata

For ➍
4 chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 0.5 cm thick
1 tbs all-purpose flour
½ ts onion powder
½ ts garlic powder
½ ts salt
¼ ts freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
5 cl sweet white wine
1 tbs butter
1 tbs lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
10 cl chicken stock
1 tbs small capers, drained

Combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle evenly on both sides of chicken cutlets.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken in one layer and cook on the first side for 5 m, or until golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Turn only once. (It will cook more later.) Remove to a platter.

Add the white wine to the pan drippings and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until syrupy. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and chicken stock. Cook for 2 m.

Return chicken to the pan, turning to coat both sides with sauce. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center . Sprinkle with capers.

Let rest for 2 m, then serve with pan sauce.

Serve with couscous and asparagus for instance.

'Piccata' is Italian for 'larded'. With food, particularly meat or fish, it means sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices. The best known dish of this sort is chicken piccata, using chicken, but the term is also used with veal. There are some regional differences.