Ask Czechs to name the dish of celebrations and most will say svíčková. It is served at weddings and Sunday lunches, and the plate is always assembled the same way: slices of braised beef in a velvety, pale orange sauce made from root vegetables, cream, a little vinegar and sugar, with sliced bread dumplings, a spoonful of cranberry sauce, a twist of lemon and a swirl of whipped cream. The combination of sweet, sour, creamy and savory sounds like too much and tastes like exactly enough.

The name comes from svíčková, the Czech word for tenderloin, though many families use a more forgiving braising cut. It takes time but very little skill, and the sauce and dumplings can both be made a day ahead, which turns a project into a perfectly manageable race day feast.

The beef and sauce

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) beef bottom round, top round or chuck roast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 oz (85 g) smoked bacon
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 medium carrots
• 1 parsley root
• 1/4 celeriac
• 8 whole allspice berries
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cups (950 ml) beef stock
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon

The bread dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) active dry or instant yeast
• 2 3/4 cups (350 g) all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 cups (100 g) stale white bread or rolls

To serve

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (140 g) cranberry or lingonberry sauce
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

More from Czech Republic