Rouladen

Pound the 4 beef slices, about 175 g each, between sheets of cling film to an even 5 mm. Season both sides with salt and pepper and spread each with a tablespoon of mustard. Lay 2 thin slices of bacon, a quarter of 150 g of thinly sliced onion and a whole gherkin on the short end of each. Roll up tightly, folding in the sides, and secure with kitchen string or toothpicks. A loose roll opens in the pot and loses its filling.

• beef700 g
• mustard4 tbsp
• bacon120 g
• onion150 g
• pickled gherkin4
• saltto taste
• black pepperto taste

Heat the oil in a heavy, lidded pot or casserole large enough to hold the rolls in one layer, over medium-high heat. Add the rolls with the seam side down, without crowding. Brown them for 8–10 minutes in total, turning every couple of minutes, until they are deep brown all over. Lower the heat if the fat smokes. That brown crust seasons the gravy, so do not hurry it. Lift the rolls onto a plate and keep the pot unwashed.

• vegetable oil3 tbsp
• beef700 g

Lower the heat to medium. Add 200 g of chopped onion, the diced carrot and the chopped celery, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly coloured. Stir in the tomato paste for 2 minutes until it darkens. Pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and boil for 4–5 minutes until reduced by half. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, then return the rolls, which should sit about halfway under the liquid.

• onion200 g
• carrot150 g
• celery100 g
• tomato paste2 tbsp
• red wine250 mL
• beef broth500 mL

Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and keep the liquid at the barest simmer, with a bubble breaking the surface now and then, for 90–120 minutes. Turn the rolls every 30 minutes. Add a splash of hot water if the liquid falls below a third of the height of the rolls. They are done when a fork slides in with no resistance and the meat starts to yield. Fast boiling makes the beef tough.

• beef700 g

Lift the rolls onto a warm plate, cover loosely and remove the strings or toothpicks. Purée the vegetables and liquid in the pot with a stick blender until smooth, then boil for 8–10 minutes, until the gravy is glossy and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Return the rolls to the gravy for a minute to heat through.

• carrot150 g
• celery100 g
• onion350 g
• saltto taste
• black pepperto taste