Svíčková na Smetaně
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The Tale of Svíčková na Smetaně
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Svíčková na smetaně, beef marinated and braised in a root-vegetable cream sauce, has roots in historic Bohemian cooking, its name referring to the tenderloin cut traditionally used. Served with bread dumplings and cranberry sauce, it's often cited as the Czech Republic's national dish.
Ingredients
Scale:· 6 servings
- 3 lb beef sirloin roast
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 parsnip, chopped
- 1/4 celery root, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 whole allspice berries
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and black pepper
- Bread dumplings (knedlíky), for serving
- Cranberry sauce and lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
- 1Render the bacon in a large pot, then sear the beef roast on all sides and remove.
- 2Sauté carrots, parsnip, celery root, and onion in the same pot until softened and lightly browned.
- 3Return the beef to the pot, add bay leaves, allspice, vinegar, sugar, and beef broth, and cover.
- 4Simmer gently, turning occasionally, for about 2 hours until the beef is very tender.
- 5Remove the beef and rest it, then blend the vegetables and cooking liquid until smooth.
- 6Stir the cream into the blended sauce and simmer to thicken, whisking in flour mixed with a little water if needed.
- 7Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and more sugar or vinegar to taste.
- 8Slice the beef and serve with the sauce over bread dumplings, topped with cranberry sauce and a lemon slice.
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