Veal Meatballs with White Asparagus

Ingredients

• 500 g asparagus
• 1 l beef broth
• 1 roll of bread (from yesterday)
• 500 g ground veal
• 2 onions
• 40 g Butter
• 1 untreated lemon
• 1 egg
• 0.5 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp piment seeds
• 2 tbsp flour
• 100 ml whipping cream
• 3 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp sharp mustard
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• fresh bay leaf
• lemon slices
• chervil

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel the asparagus and simmer the stalks in beef broth for about 20 minutes. Remove from the broth and cut into 2–3 cm pieces.

2. 2.

   Soak the roll of bread in water. Peel the onions, quarter one, finely chop another, and sauté in half the butter until translucent. Grate the lemon zest and mix with half the butter, ground veal, egg, onion cubes, drained bread, salt, pepper, and marjoram. With damp hands form small meatballs. In the hot asparagus‑broth add the onion quarters, bay leaf, and piment; let the meatballs simmer for about 15 minutes, then remove and drain. Strain the broth through a sieve and set aside for the sauce.

3. 3.

   Heat the remaining butter, sauté the flour, then add about 400 ml of cooking liquid and cream. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes until thickened, adding more broth if needed. Stir in capers and mustard. Remove from heat, season with freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the egg yolk, then return the meatballs with parsley and asparagus to the sauce and warm through.

4. 4.

   Serve garnished with bay leaf, lemon slices, and chervil.