flavorofpoland

BEEF ROULADE, SILESIAN DUMPLINGS & MODRA KAPUSTA
(ROLADA WOŁOWA, KLUSKI ŚlĄSKIE, CZERWONA/MODRA KAPUSTA)

  • 1lb of mashed potatoes
  • 1lb of beef entrecote sliced into 6 pieces
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 6 prunes cut into quarter pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons of potato starch
  • 1 egg
  • 6 quarter pieces of pickle – cut lengthwise
  • 2/3 cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1 apple
  • 3-4 allspice grains
  • 2 Laurel leaves
  • 6 medium-length slices of bacon
  • 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons of clarified butter
  • 2 tablespoons of regular butter
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 2 cups of beef broth
  • Saran wrap
  • Toothpicks
  • Salt and pepper for taste

This is a traditional Silesian Sunday dinner! In the industrial age Sundays in Silesia were an especially important day to rest and eat well after a long week of work. Such a dinner (as with most traditional foods of the region) was typically composed of a few hearty, and flavorful ingredients. It is in that day and age that the iconic Silesian Sunday dinner was born. Comprised of Silesia’s iconic stewed red cabbage dish called, Modra Kapusta, Silesian style potato dumplings and a flavorful beef roulade stuffed with bacon and pickle, it is a tradition that is still at the heart of the region’s cuisine today. Nothing tastes more like Silesia than these three dishes on a plate. It’s not a complex meal but it’s certainly delicious... and very filling!

To make the beef roulade….
  • Start by making a vegetable broth:
    • Begin by tenderizing the meat. Place each piece on a cutting board, top with saran wrap and beat with a meat pounder on each side. Beat each piece until it’s a little less than a quarter of an inch. The pieces should be thin so that they easily form into a wrap.
    • Form each roulade by smearing the inside of each beef piece with Dijon mustard, covering it in full.
    • Place a quarter-sized slice of pickle in the middle along with a slice of bacon.
    • Wrap the meat into a roulade by closing each piece in from the right and left side first and then fold over the top and roll it closed. Secure with a toothpick, weaving through from top to bottom lengthwise. Repeat this for each roulade.
    • Prep a large saucepan on the stove at a medium heat intensity and allow it to begin to heat.
    • In the meantime, season each roulade with salt and pepper on each side and toss thoroughly in flour.
    • Pour 2 tablespoons of clarified butter into the saucepan on the stove, allow it to warm just a bit.
    • Begin to place each roulade in the saucepan to fry.
    • Fry each wrap evenly from each side until it’s fully caramelized. Flip each piece back and forth making sure it’s not burning.
    • When the meat is fully browned on each side pour the 2 cups of beef broth over the meat.
    • Add the laurel leaf and allspice into the saucepan.
    • Cover the saucepan and let the meat stew for 1.5-2 hours. The meat will be ready once it’s nice and tender. Monitor the process frequently.
    To make the cabbage…
    • While the beef roulade is cooking continue by preparing the red cabbage dish – Modra Kapusta.
    • Begin by cutting off the bottom edge of the cabbage. Then, cut it in half and cut each half down the middle as well.
    • Slice each quarter piece into thin slices.
    • Prep a large saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter and toss in the chopped onions and prunes. Sauté until onions are translucent.
    • Add in the cabbage and stir until thoroughly blended.
    • Next, pour in the red wine vinegar and continue to stir and sauté until the vinegar has been absorbed in full.
    • Now add in a teaspoon of salt as well as some pepper for a bit of spice.
    • Stir the ingredients in the pan.
    • As the contents in the pan are cooking peel an apple and cut it into small quarter size pieces. Add the apple into the pan as well.
    • Once the apples are thoroughly stirred in, cover the pan with a lid and allow the contents to stew for about 20-30 minutes until the cabbage is nice and soft.
    To make the dumplings…
    • Set 10 cups of water to boil in a medium-sized pot. Sift in a teaspoon of salt to taste.
    • Cut the mashed potatoes in your bowl into 4 triangular pieces.
    • Scoop out one quarter section and place on top of the remaining potatoes in the bowl. In the place of the piece that is removed sift in the potato starch, a teaspoon of salt and 1 egg.
    • Use your hands to knead the potatoes, starch and egg together until you achieve a smooth mass.
    • Next, begin to rip off the dough one small piece at a time and roll into a ball between your hands. Press each ball of dough between your hands to flatten into a round dumpling about a half-inch thick.
    • Place each dumpling it on your pastry mat or a cutting board and poke it in the middle using your finger to make a small dent.
    • Continue this process to make each dumpling until you’ve used all the dough.
    • Once all the dumplings have been formed toss them into the boiling water, up to 10-15 at a time.
    • Cover the pot and allow the dumplings to cook for about 5 minutes. You will know they are ready when they rise to the top. At that point, use a strainer to remove them from the pot.
Serve your Silesian dinner…
  • Place one roulade on each plate along with a few dumplings. Pour the rich meat sauce from over the dumplings and the roulade on the plate.
  • Finally, add a generous scoop of Modra Kapusta to the plate next to the dumplings and roulade.
  • For an added, fresh flavor sprinkle chopped dill over the items on the plate.
Smacznego! (Enjoy)