SVICKOVA RECIPE-CZECH SPECIALTY BEEF SIRLOIN WITH CREAMY VEGETABLE SAUCE & CARLSBAD DUMPLINGS

Svickova sauce with beef sirloin and dumplings is a national dish of the Czech Republic. You may find this dish in any Czech restaurant or pub. It is made with creamy vegetable sauce, roasted beef sirloin and Carlsbad bread dumplings.

What is svickova ?

Finally, I got myself into writing about this delicious traditional Czech dish called Svickova. This dish is one of the most popular in Czech and is basically made from three different parts. Roasted beef tenderloin (in Czech also called svickova) or beef sirloin is braised either on the stove top or in the oven altogether with root vegetables. These vegetables are carrots, celery root (celeriac) and parsnip or parsley root. Once the meat is done with the vegetables, it is separated and the root vegetables are mixed with cream and other ingredients into a tasty creamy vegetable sauce.

Roasted sirloin is cut in slices and served together with the creamy vegetable sauce. It is accompanied by Carlsbad bread dumplings and garnished with slice of lemon, whipped non-sweetened whipped cream and scoop of cranberry sauce. And of course, Czech people will always have a beer with svickova.

The name svickova is basically a type of beef meat, which is beef tenderloin. In Czech, most of homemade svickova dish is made out of different types of beef meat, because tenderloin is expensive. You may use eye of round roast, top sirloin or bottom round roast.

Best way is to use the iron cast pot (dutch oven) or oven safe dish with lid for svickova

The traditional way of preparing this dish is to braise the meat altogether with the vegetables in the iron cast  pot and cook it on the stove top. I am using roasting/baking method, because it brings better flavours while the root vegetables are altogether roasted and baked in the oven.

An iron cast pot is much easier to use, because the whole dish can be made in one pot. In the time of making this recipe, I haven’t owned one, so I made it in an oven safe dish. Which is totally manageable as well, you will only need an extra large to sear the meat and pre-cook and blend the vegetables. The iron cast pot should be at least 6-7quart (6-7 litres). If you use an oven safe dish, it should be about the same size.

Ingredients needed for svickova

• Beef tenderloin – or you can use eye of round roast, top sirloin, bottom round roast.
• Bacon – is used to add extra flavour to the beef cut, and it’s cut in small strips and inserted inside the beef meat. Use American style of bacon or lardon. (This is an optional ingredient.)
• Vegetables – the most important flavour of this dish is coming from root vegetables. Carrots, celery root or celeriac and parsnip. Onion is the base for most dishes, including this one.
• Spices – the most common spices used in Czech cuisine are bay leaves and allspice. Both will be used in this recipe. For the allspice, use tea steeper to keep them together.
• Seasoning – salt, pepper, sugar to sweeten a bit the vegetable sauce
• Mustard – Dijon and honey mustard add extra flavour.
• Vinegar – to balance the sweetness of vegetables.
• Lemon – to add little acidity
• sour cream – to add tart creaminess
• heavy cream – to add sweet creaminess
• Butter and vegetable oil – to sear the meet, use vegetable oil, to sauté veggies use butter.
• Cranberry sauce – extra taste
• Water of beef stock – for juicy meat

How to make svickova from scratch

For the meat

As an optional step to this recipe, before you start searing the meat, you can lard the meat with bacon. Simply wash and dry the meat and poke with pairing knife a few holes on top of the meat. Usually for 700 g ( 2 pounds) of meat I make 6-8 holes and with a pairing knife I fill the holes with small stripes of bacon.

In a large saucepan or directly in iron cast, reheat the vegetable oil on medium high. Season the meat with salt and pepper and sear it on all four sides. Remove from the saucepan to plate and cover with aluminum foil. Set aside.

For the svickova sauce

Clean and cut in cubes all the vegetables. In the same saucepan or iron cast, reheat butter and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes. Add all the vegetables, bay leaves, allspice (place it in tea steeper) and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for another 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of water.

Tip: For better taste you can use beef stock (in this case use beef stock without salt), instead of the water.

If you use an iron cast, make a nest from the vegetables and place directly the seared meat in the vegetables. If you are using an oven safe dish, transfer the sauté vegetables in the oven safe dish, then add the water and the meat. Cover with the lid and braise in preheated oven 160 C / 320 F for 2 hours. Baste the meat every 30 minutes, so it stays juicy.

After two hours of braising, remove the iron cast / oven safe dish on working surface and transfer the meat to a plastic or ceramic container with the lid. Close the lid and let the meat stand. Leave all the baked vegetables in the iron cast and remove the bay leaves and allspice. Discard these spices. If you use oven safe dish, transfer all the vegetables and juices in the large saucepan.

Place the iron cast/saucepan on the stove and heat the vegetables on medium heat. Add sugar, mustard Dijon and honey mustard. Let it bring to light simmer. Then remove it from the stove top and blend the vegetables with a hand blender to the smooth consistency.

Add lemon juice from 1 lemon, vinegar, sour cream and heavy cream 35%. The sauce should be creamy, and the consistency should be as a thick soup or pottage. If the sauce is too thick, add more water or instant thickener to thicken the sauce.

Assembling svickova

Cut the meat in slices 1/2 inch thick and serve on vegetable sauce and Carlsbad dumplings. Garnished with slice of lemon and top with whipped cream and cranberry sauce.

NOTE: Carlsbad dumpling recipe is right at the bottom of the recipe card. Update will come soon.

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CARLSBAD DUMPLINGS

• 2 eggs
• 40g plain flour
• 175ml/ 3/4 cup of milk
• salt
• 2 tsp of parsley
• 250g/ 6 large toast

1. In a medium bowl, cut the toasts in cubes and pour over melted butter. Add milk, salt, 2 egg yolks and parsley. Combine will with spatula.
2. Mix the egg whites until soft peaks forms and add to the mixture.
3. Place plastic food wrap (30x30cm, 11″x11″) on the working surface and place 3 full Tbsp of the mixture approx. 5 cm from the edge of the food wrap, leaving 5 cm on the sides.
4. Roll the mixture inside the plastic food wrap and secure the ends by holding and twisting the sides of the food wrap.
5. Steam for 20 minute. Let cool and cut the edges with scissors. Unroll the dumpling and either cut in on slices or cut the edges and then cut diagonally in the middle.

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