Classic beef roulades

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 8 beef roulade(s)
• 5 onions
• 4 gherkins
• 4 tbsp mustard, medium hot
• 12 slices of breakfast bacon
• 2 tbsp clarified butter
• 1 piece(s) celeriac
• 1 carrot(s)
• ½ stalk(s) leek
• ½ bottle of good red wine, approx. 375 ml
• salt and pepper
• ½ liter beef stock, strong
• tsp cornstarch
• 1 shot of cucumber juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours

with a filling of onions, cucumbers, mustard and bacon, in a delicious red wine sauce with roasted vegetables

Pat the beef roulades dry with kitchen paper. Slice the onions into half-moons and the cucumbers into lengthwise strips. Gather scissors and kitchen string. Spread the spread-out roulades thinly with mustard, season with salt and pepper. Place approximately 1/2 onion, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, and 1/2 (or more) cucumber (possibly more) in the middle of each roulade. Fold in a little on both long sides, then roll up and tie with kitchen string like a postal parcel. Heat the clarified butter in a pan and brown the roulades all over. Remove and transfer to a casserole dish. Finely chop the celery, the remaining onion, leek, and carrots and brown them in the pan. As soon as they are halfway golden, stir briefly. Pour on a very thin layer of red wine, stop stirring, and let the liquid evaporate. As soon as the vegetables begin to dry out again, pour on another layer of wine, stir briefly, and let it continue to evaporate. Repeat this process until half the bottle of wine is used up. This way, the roasted vegetables will be very brown (good for the flavor and color of the sauce), but not dry. Finally, add the beef stock, a little salt and pepper, and a good dash of cucumber juice, and then add it to the casserole dish with the roulades. Cover. Either set the pot on low heat or place it in the oven at approximately 160°C (top/bottom heat) for 1 1/2 hours. Add a little more liquid now and then. After 1 1/2 hours, check whether the roulades are tender (just press on them a little with a wooden spoon; they should swell easily – if not, braise for another half hour). Then carefully remove them from the pot and keep warm. Strain the sauce through a sieve and bring back to a boil. Mix about 1 tablespoon of mustard with a little water and the cornstarch, then gradually pour it into the boiling sauce, stirring continuously until the desired consistency is reached. Season the sauce again with salt, pepper, red wine, and cucumber juice. Per serving: 830 kcal