Czech Svickova

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef sirloin roast
• 6 strips bacon, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 parsnips, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 whole allspice berries
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Bread dumplings for serving
• Cranberry sauce for serving
• Whipped cream for garnish
• Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Season the beef roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. In a large Dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving fat in pot.
3. Sear the beef roast in the bacon fat on all sides until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove and set aside.
4. Add diced carrots, parsnips, onion, and celery root to the pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
5. Return beef to the pot and nestle among vegetables. Add bay leaves, allspice berries, peppercorns, thyme, and cooked bacon.
6. Pour beef stock around the roast, cover tightly with lid, and transfer to oven. Braise for 2-2.5 hours until beef is fork-tender.
7. Remove beef from pot and wrap in foil to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid and vegetables through a fine mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract liquid.
8. In a small bowl, whisk flour with 3 tablespoons of the strained liquid to make a slurry.
9. In a saucepan, heat 2 cups of the strained cooking liquid over medium heat. Whisk in the flour slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes.
10. Slowly whisk in heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Strain sauce if desired for smoothness.
11. Slice the beef roast against the grain into thick slices. Arrange on serving platter.
12. Serve immediately with the creamy sauce, bread dumplings, cranberry sauce, and garnish with dollops of whipped cream and lemon slices.