Svíčková na smetaně: Czech beef in cream sauce

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1. First, prepare the marinade. Bring the water, vinegar, and spices to a boil in a pot. Peel the celery root, carrots, and two parsley roots, then cut them into rounds.

   Add the vegetables, thinly sliced onion, and one quartered lemon to the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then let cool.

2. For the best results, stud a good-quality cut of beef with bacon. Cut the bacon into thin sticks and place them in the freezer briefly to firm up so they are easier to handle. Make small slits in the beef with a thin knife and insert the bacon sticks. Salt the beef and place it in a roasting pan.

   Pour the cooled marinade over the beef, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 days if possible. Turn the meat and stir the marinade several times each day.

3. After 2 days, the meat is ready and the vegetables have softened. Remove the meat, vegetables, and marinade from the roasting pan and reserve each separately. Brown the bacon with the butter in the roasting pan, then add the beef and sear it thoroughly on all sides.

4. Remove the beef from the pan. Add the sugar to the pan juices and let it caramelize, stirring constantly. Add the reserved marinated vegetables and sauté briefly. Stir in the mustard, pour in the broth and a little of the reserved marinade, and return the beef to the pan.

5. Cover the roasting pan with a lid or aluminum foil and braise in a preheated oven at 170 °C (340 °F) for about 2.5 hours, until the beef is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Turn it several times during braising and add reserved marinade as needed.

6. Remove the tender beef and keep it warm. Pick out the lemon quarters, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and whole spices from the vegetables. Blend the vegetables and pan juices until smooth, then pour into a pot. Stir in the cream and simmer briefly, stirring constantly. Season with salt to taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with some reserved marinade.

   Slice the beef, spoon the sauce over it, and serve with Czech bread dumplings.

Tip: Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, then slice across the grain to keep the slices from falling apart. Pass the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve for a velvety texture.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Sviečková na smotane podľa klasického českého receptu