Hungarian

Vadas marha zsemlegombóccal

Tender beef is braised with root vegetables, bay leaf, mustard and a little vinegar, then finished in the classic sweet-sour, creamy vadas sauce. It is served the Hungarian way with soft bread dumplings to catch every spoonful of sauce.

Ingredients

• Beef chuck or top round, cut into 2 thick slices350 g
• Carrots, sliced2 medium
• Parsley root or parsnip, sliced1 medium
• Celeriac, diced80 g
• Yellow onion, sliced1 small
• Garlic1 clove
• Bay leaves2
• Whole black peppercorns8
• Juniper berries, lightly crushed3
• White wine vinegar2 tbsp
• Water or light beef stock500 ml
• Lard or neutral oil1 tbsp
• Sugar1 tsp
• Dijon or Hungarian mustard1 1/2 tbsp
• Sour cream100 g
• All-purpose flour1 tbsp
• Lemon juice1 tsp, or to taste
• Saltto taste
• Stale bread rolls, cut into small cubes2
• Butter or lard for dumplings1 tbsp
• Egg1
• All-purpose flour for dumplings70 g
• Milk or water for dumplings60 ml
• Chopped parsley1 tbsp

Method

1. Put the beef, carrots, parsley root, celeriac, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and juniper berries in a bowl or small pot.
2. Bring the vinegar and water or stock just to a boil, pour it over the beef and vegetables, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next day, lift out the beef and pat it dry, keeping the marinade and vegetables.
4. Heat the lard in a heavy pot and brown the beef well on both sides, then remove it to a plate.
5. Add the marinated vegetables to the pot and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly browned at the edges.
6. Return the beef to the pot, pour in the marinade with the spices, add a pinch of salt, cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours, until the beef is very tender.
7. While the beef cooks, toast the bread cubes in butter or lard until lightly golden, then let them cool.
8. Mix the egg, flour, milk or water, parsley and a pinch of salt into a thick dumpling batter, fold in the toasted bread cubes and let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
9. With wet hands, form 4 small bread dumplings and simmer them in salted water for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until firm and cooked through.
10. When the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and keep it warm; discard the bay leaves, peppercorns and juniper berries as well as you can.
11. Blend the cooked vegetables and braising liquid until smooth.
12. In a small pan, melt the sugar until amber, then carefully stir it into the blended sauce along with the mustard.
13. Whisk the sour cream with 1 tablespoon flour and a ladle of hot sauce, then stir it back into the pot and simmer gently for 5 minutes until silky and thickened.
14. Season the sauce with salt and lemon juice or a few drops of vinegar until it tastes balanced: creamy, mustardy, lightly sweet and pleasantly sour.
15. Return the beef slices to the sauce to warm through, then serve with the bread dumplings and plenty of vadas sauce.

Common questions