Svíčková na Smetaně

Ingredients

• • 600g beef sirloin or top round, in one piece
• • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• • 2 parsnips, roughly chopped
• • 1 celery root (small), roughly chopped
• • 1 large onion, quartered
• • 4 allspice berries
• • 2 bay leaves
• • 5 black peppercorns
• • 1 tsp dried thyme
• • 200ml heavy cream
• • Juice of 1 lemon
• • 2 tbsp butter
• • 2 tbsp flour
• • Salt to taste
• • Cranberry sauce, for serving
• • Bread dumplings, for serving

Instructions

1. 1 Season beef with salt. Heat butter in a large Dutch oven and brown the meat on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Remove and set aside.
2. 2 In the same pot, add all chopped vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
3. 3 Return beef to the pot. Add allspice, bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme. Pour in enough water to just cover the meat.
4. 4 Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and braise gently for 1.5-2 hours until beef is fork-tender.
5. 5 Remove beef and keep warm. Strain the braising liquid, keeping the vegetables. Discard bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns.
6. 6 Blend vegetables with some of the braising liquid until completely smooth. Return to the pot.
7. 7 Mix flour with a little cold water to make a slurry. Stir into the sauce and cook for 5 minutes until thickened.
8. 8 Stir in cream and lemon juice. Season with salt. The sauce should be velvety and slightly tangy.
9. 9 Slice beef across the grain. Serve over bread dumplings, ladle sauce generously, top with cranberry sauce and a drizzle of cream.