Czech
Svíčková na Smetaně
Czech larded beef braised with root vegetables and warm spices in a smooth sweet-sour cream sauce with bread dumplings.
8 servings · 55 minutes prep · 50 minutes cook
Ingredients
Beef and Sauce
- 3 pounds beef top round, tied into an even roast
- 4 ounces chilled slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch-thick lardons
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lard or clarified butter
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, divided
- 4 cups unsalted beef stock, plus more if needed
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 whole allspice berries
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
Bread Dumplings
- 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to 105°F
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 stale plain white roll, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
Directions
Brown and Braise the Beef
- Use a narrow knife to make channels lengthwise through the beef and push in the chilled bacon lardons, spacing them evenly. Season the beef all over with the 2 teaspoons salt and ground pepper. Heat the lard in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef deeply on every side, 10 to 12 minutes total, then transfer it to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, parsnips, celery root, and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until richly golden at the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and cook until amber, about 1 minute. Stir in the mustard and 1 tablespoon vinegar, scraping up the browned fond.
- Tie the bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns in a small cheesecloth sachet. Return the beef to the pot, add the sachet and stock, and ensure the liquid reaches halfway up the roast. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat, turning the beef every 40 minutes, until a skewer passes through with gentle resistance and the center is 180°F to 190°F, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add hot stock if the pot becomes dry.
Make the Bread Dumplings
- Meanwhile, stir the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar together; rest until foamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and egg, then knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Knead in the bread cubes without crushing them. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough in half on a lightly floured surface and shape two tight 7-inch logs. Cover and rest 15 minutes. Bring a wide pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. Oil the logs lightly, lower them into the water, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. The centers should register at least 190°F. Transfer to a board, immediately pierce each log several times with a skewer to release steam, and slice with taut thread into 1/2-inch rounds.
Blend and Finish the Sauce
- Transfer the tender beef to a board, tent loosely with foil, and rest 20 minutes. Discard the spice sachet. Blend the vegetables and liquid until completely smooth, working in batches if necessary, then return the sauce to the pot.
- Stir in the cream, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon, 8 to 12 minutes. It should be velvety and distinctly sweet-sour; adjust with lemon, sugar, or salt by small increments.
Slice and Serve
- Remove the string and slice the beef thinly across the grain. Warm it briefly in the sauce without boiling. Serve the beef and sauce with the warm bread dumplings.
