The recipes in the Real German Cuisine Challenge are from the German recipe book Die echte deutsche Küche and will be translated by me over the next couple of years.

Hechtkloesschen in Rieslingssauce (Pike dumplings in Riesling sauce)

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Fischklößchen in Rieslingsauce

Appetizer or small meal

Ingredients for 4-6 portions:

For the dumplings:

  • 400 g (14.1 oz) pike (Hecht) filet without skin and bones (can be substituted with Zander/pike-perch or trout)
  • salt
  • fresh ground white pepper
  • 1 egg white
  • 50 g (1.76 oz) white bread without crust
  • 250 g (8.8 oz) cream
  • fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

For the fish broth:

  • Head, bones, and other leftover pieces of the fish (let the fish handler give them to you!)
  • 1 bunch of soup greens (2-3 carrots, small leek, small piece of celery root, parsley)
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 white peppercorns
  • 1/4 liter dry Riesling (or another dry white wine)

For the sauce:

  • 2 green onions
  • 1 T butter
  • salt
  • fresh ground white pepper
  • 1/8 liter dry Riesling
  • 100 g (3.4 fl oz) cream
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 T finely chopped dill

Preparation time: about 1 1/4 hours

Per portion: 330 calories

Directions:

  1. Cut the pike meat into very small pieces, salt and pepper heavily.  Place in a small metal bowl, mix with the egg white, cover and store in the fridge. Cut the white bread into cubes and moisten with about half of the cream.
  2. For the broth, place the rest of the fish, head and bones, in a pot with 1 1/2 liter water. Clean and wash the soup greens, and cut into large pieces.  Peel and quarter the onions and place in the pot with the salt, peppercorns , and wine.  Let boil for about 20 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, puree the fish flesh, moistened bread and the rest of the cream in a food processor.  Press the mixture through a sieve, add salt pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice to taste.  Place the mixture in a metal bowl, cover and place in the fridge.
  4. For the sauce, clean and wash the green onions, then finely chop.  In a wide pan, melt the butter, cook the onions, adding salt and pepper.  Pour the fish broth through a sieve, add about 1/4 liter of the strained broth to the green onions, place the rest of the broth back in the large pot.  Add the wine and cream to the pan, heat over medium until boiling to make a creamy sauce.
  5. Boil the fish broth in the large pot.  Take out the bowl with the fish puree.  With two teaspoons form dumplings and add to the broth.  Adjust the heat so the broth never boils heavily, but rather simmers.  Cook the pike dumplings for about 10-12 minutes.
  6. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from the stove, stir in the egg yolk and the dill.  Remove the pike dumplings from the broth with a slotted spoon and sllow to drain well.  Serve with the sauce.
  • This goes well with small, homemade, egg noodles.
  • Drink tip: a dry Riesling, for example, from the Ortenau. Or a light Rulaender.
  • As a substitute for the pike you can use filets from Zander (pike-perch) or trout for the dumplings.  Pre-order the pike!
  • A known fish specialty is also “Badische Pike,” that is baked whole swimming in a delicious sauce of butter, cream and lemon (200°C/400°F, for about 30-40 minutes).

Want to read more about this recipe? Find out how the challenge went. Want more Real German Cuisine? Check out the full recipe list organized by German state. Do you have an alternative recipe for this dish or helpful hints? Please let us know in the comments!

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