Svíčková na Smetaně (Beef in Cream Sauce)

Cut the bacon into strips 0.5 cm thick and place in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel, use a thin sharp knife to make deep incisions along the grain, and lard the meat with the chilled bacon on all sides. Tie the meat with kitchen twine to hold its shape, then rub with salt.

Cut the carrot, parsley root and celery root into 1 cm cubes, and finely chop the onion. Tie the bay leaf, allspice berries and black peppercorns into a cheesecloth bundle so they can be easily removed from the dish later.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and sear the beef on all sides until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate.

In the same pot, melt 40 g of butter, sauté the carrot, parsley root and celery root for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden, add the onion and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring.

Add the sugar and let it caramelize slightly, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the vinegar and reduce over high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and the vegetables are coated in caramel.

Return the meat to the pot, add the cheesecloth spice bundle, pour in hot stock (the liquid should almost cover the meat) and season with a little salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and braise for 2-2.5 hours until the meat is tender, turning it every 30 minutes.

Remove the cooked meat, cover with foil and set aside. Remove the spice bundle from the vegetable mixture. In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining butter (40 g), add the flour and cook until nutty and fragrant, 2-3 minutes — this is your roux. Press the roux through a sieve directly into the pot with the vegetables and stock, return to the heat and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the cream, blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy, then pass through a sieve for extra smoothness. Season with lemon juice and salt to taste. Slice the beef across the grain, ladle over the hot sauce and serve with bread dumplings and a lemon wedge.