INGREDIENTS
For the roulades
4 pieces of boneless topside or silverside beef, 250g (9oz) each, flattened to 6mm (¼in) thick
4 tsp mustard freshly-ground black pepper
4 slices of bacon
4 large eggs, hard-boiled and shelled
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large onions
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar salt
250ml (9fl oz) dry red wine
1 heaped tbsp cornflour
For the red cabbage
1 red cabbage (about 1kg / 2lb 3oz)
2 tbsp unsalted butter or clarified butter
1 bay leaf
1 clove
sugar to taste
salt to taste
2 tart apples
1–2 tbsp redcurrant jelly (from a jar)
1–2 tbsp vinegar
Method
- Lay out the pieces of beef side by side and spread each piece with 1 teaspoon of mustard, season with pepper, and cover with 1 slice of bacon. Place a hard-boiled egg in the middle of each piece of beef and roll up the roulade. Secure with kitchen twine.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a casserole and sear the beef roulades on all sides – they should be brown but not too dark. Remove the roulades. Add the diced onions, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and sweet paprika to the casserole and sauté, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt, sauté briefly, then deglaze the pot with the red wine. Return the roulades to the casserole, add 500ml (scant 1pt) of hot water, and bring to the boil. Cover and braise the roulades in the oven at 150°C (300°F/Gas 2) for about 2 hours.
- Remove the roulades from the casserole and put them in the oven to keep warm. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, squeezing out all the juices with the back of a spoon. Reheat. If desired, mix cornflour with a little water until smooth and use to thicken the sauce. Bring the sauce to the boil briefly and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and return the roulades to the sauce to rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving.
- For the red cabbage, quarter the head of cabbage, remove the core, and shred finely. Heat the butter in a large pot, add the cabbage, and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaf, clove, salt, and 300ml (10½fl oz) of water. Cover the pot. Peel and core the apples and cut them into wedges. Put the apple wedges on top of the cabbage and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour, covered, stirring occasionally. Season with sugar, salt, redcurrant jelly, and vinegar to give it a robust sweet and sour flavour. Serve the roulades with red cabbage and potato dumplings .