Foolproof roulades in buttermilk sauce

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 6 roulades
• 1 liter buttermilk
• 3 onions
• 6 gherkins
• e.g. mustard
• 200 g bacon, diced
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 3 carrots
• 3 stalk(s) celery
• n. B. bay leaves
• 1 liter of water or broth
• 3 pointed peppers, red or yellow
• salt and pepper
• Paprika powder, hot
• e.g. butter or clarified butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 2 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 days 2 hours 30 minutes

The buttermilk makes the roulades wonderfully tender, but they require a lot of preparation time.

In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk with a roughly chopped onion, a few bay leaves, pepper, salt, and paprika. Marinate the roulades in this marinade. Cover and let the whole thing rest in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, or at least overnight. After this time, remove the roulades from the buttermilk, let them drain, or use a fork to scrape off any remaining buttermilk from the roulades and pat them dry. Season one side of the roulades generously with pepper, salt, and paprika, then brush with mustard and season again. Spread half of the ham cubes, the gherkins, and the roughly chopped onions over the top third of each roulade. Fold the roulade in at the sides, roll it up, and secure it with pins or cooking string. TIP: Always wrap from the thicker end of the roulade to the thinner end. This works easier, and you can then secure it more easily with the roulade pins. Now place the finished roulades back into the buttermilk and cover and refrigerate for another 24 hours, or at least overnight. Storing them in the buttermilk ensures that they will turn out well later and will fall apart when eaten. Remove the roulades from the buttermilk after the storage time. Brown them quickly on all sides in a pan, adding the carrots, bell peppers, celery, and (if you have any) the remaining onions. Once all the roulades are browned, remove them from the pan and sauté the diced vegetables with the remaining ham cubes and a little butter. Use a wooden spatula to loosen any browned residue from the bottom of the pan. Once the vegetables are translucent, add just enough red wine to barely cover the vegetables. Allow to reduce and release any browned aromas from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has evaporated, add the same amount of wine again, let it evaporate, and release any browned aromas. Repeat this process until about half a bottle of wine has evaporated. This method produces a very rich sauce. Now return the roulades to the pot and pour in the water or stock until they are almost completely covered. Bring to a boil briefly, then simmer with the lid on for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours over low heat. During the simmering time, turn the roulades in the sauce every now and then, adding the buttermilk a sip at a time, until the buttermilk is completely used up. The roulades are soft when they give when lightly pressed on the surface. The buttermilk thickens the sauce slightly. If you prefer it even creamier, thicken the sauce with either a sauce thickener or a roux. If you like, leave the vegetables in the sauce, but you can also strain them or puree them. Red cabbage (with lots of apples, a little red wine, and a pinch of sugar) and dumplings are recommended for the roulades.