Svíčková

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb beef sirloin, in one piece
• 3.5 oz bacon, cut into lardons
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 parsley root, chopped
• 5 oz celeriac, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 apple, chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 8 whole allspice berries
• 8 peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 juniper berries
• Salt
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Whipped cream and cranberry compote, to serve
• 4 cups plain flour
• 1.25 cups lukewarm milk
• 7g active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• Pinch each of salt and sugar
• 5 oz stale bread, cubed

Before you cook

• Lard the beef by pushing the bacon strips into small slits all over the surface, or lay them over the top and tie in place.
• Chop the carrots, parsley root, celeriac, onions and apple.
• Proof the yeast in the lukewarm milk with a pinch of sugar for 10 minutes until foamy.

Steps

1. Sear the larded beef on all sides in 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot, then remove it.
2. Add the chopped vegetables and apple to the pot and cook in the remaining butter for 10 minutes until golden.
3. Return the beef to the pot along with the allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves, juniper berries and salt.
4. Pour in the broth so it comes halfway up the beef.
5. Cover and braise over low heat for 2 hours 15 minutes, turning the beef once, until fork-tender.
6. Lift the beef out to rest and slice it thinly against the grain.
7. Purée the braising vegetables and liquid until smooth.
8. Stir the vinegar and sugar into the puréed sauce and taste for balance.
9. Whisk in the cream and warm the sauce gently without letting it boil.
10. Mix the flour, egg, salt and sugar with the proofed yeast mixture into a soft dough.
11. Fold the cubed stale bread into the dough and let it rise for 40 minutes.
12. Shape the dough into two logs and lower them into a pot of simmering water.
13. Poach the dumpling logs for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through.
14. Slice the dumplings into rounds using a length of thread.
15. Plate the sliced beef napped in the sauce alongside the dumplings.
16. Top with a spoonful of whipped cream and cranberry compote.