Slottstek - Castle Roast

Here is the recipe for another Swedish Classic. We used to enjoy this as a Sunday dinner. Always accompanied by "pressgurka" (pressed cucumber), lingon, blackcurrant jelly and a vegetable. In winter, we'd have boiled carrots and cauliflower. I remember how delicious the first tender beans, tomatoes and lettuce would taste when spring finally arrived.

When I made this the other day, my son said "This is the best food I've had in ages!"

I cook this roast in a big pot on the stove but you could just brown it in a frying pan first and then let it simmer slowly, covered, in the oven with the veg and anchovies. Tuck the anchovy underneath the meat. And don't forget to baste the meat! Like many old recipes this one requires little effort once it is cooking. You will get a wonderful sauce from the meat juices if you enrich them with some cream and a splash of anchovy brine.

Ingredients:

1.5 -2 kg beef knuckle or top round

3 tbsp butter

1-2 tsp salt

white pepper, ground

6 dl stock or water

3 onions

8 anchovy fillets

12 allspice peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 carrots

Sauce:

3 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

7 dl stock + anchovy brine

2 dl cream

1 tbsp golden syrup 

Seasoning:

salt, white and black pepper to taste.

Method:

Season the meat. Brown and seal it on all sides. Add onions and carrots and let them cook along for a few minutes. Add bay leaves and anchovies, and allspice. Pour over stock or water. Now leave the meat to simmer under a lid, on a low heat until meat is cooked and tender. Approximately 1.5 hours.

Take the meat out (reserve the juices in the pot!) and set aside to rest while you boil potatoes and make the sauce.

Stir the flour into some water until smooth. Pour this thickener into the meat juices in the pot. Bring to a boil. Pour in cream and syrup. Let it come to a boil again. Season to taste, adding more anchovy brine if needed. Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes and taste again, adjusting as neccessary. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter to make the sauce shine. 

Cut the steak into thin, even slices. Arrange the vegetables around the meat on a platter.

Serve with boiled potatoes or Hasselback Potatoes, your choice of veg, the wonderful sauce and some blackcurrant jelly, lingonberry jam, pressed or pickled cucumber.

Enjoy!

-Anki