The 'queen of Czech sauces' - beef larded with bacon and braised for hours with root vegetables until the braising liquid can be purĂŠed into a velvety cream sauce, finished with a touch of vinegar and sugar for the sweet-sour balance that defines it.
â˘Lemon slices, cranberry sauce, and whipped cream, for serving
Steps
1.Using a larding needle or a sharp knife, insert thin strips of bacon into the beef roast at intervals - this traditional larding keeps the lean roast moist through the long braise.
2.Season the beef with salt and sear it on all sides in the butter in a large pot.
3.Add the carrots, parsley root, celery root, onion, bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns around the meat, cover, and braise at low heat for 2.5-3 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
4.Remove the meat and let it rest.
5.PurĂŠe the braising vegetables and liquid together with an immersion blender until smooth and velvety.
6.Stir the cream into the purĂŠed sauce and heat gently without boiling.
7.Season the sauce with vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste, balancing it to a delicate sweet-sour-savory profile - this balance, not just the creamy texture, is what defines a proper svĂÄkovĂĄ.
8.Slice the rested beef thinly against the grain, ladle the warm sauce over the top, and serve with bread dumplings, a spoonful of cranberry sauce, whipped cream, and a slice of lemon.