Recipes: SVIČKOVA and KNEDLE

Yesterday, when I posted some photos of the knedle in progress, I said

When I post the recipe-- which I will after I have some photos of them doing what God intended them to do-- I'll include the correct name.

Here they are, doing what God intended: 

soaking up some ‘peek-a-pok, good gravy.’

Courtesy of Mr. Big Food and complete with his color commentaries, the recipes for Svičkova (Czech sauerbraten) and Knedle (bread dumplings) are below the fold.

(Sorry, forgot to get the carroten recipe.)

This one comes from one of my maternal great-grandmothers, Baba, passed down to me by my Aunt Bee. Here’s what Bee said about it: “Baba also called it ‘Nadivoko’ when the meat used in the recipe was venison or rabbit because ‘nadivoko’ means wild. Always serve with knedle to soak up the ‘peek-a-pok, good gravy,’ the name that Dedja gave to this good gravy.” ‘Nuff said. Interestingly different from German sauerbraten.

SVIČKOVA

(Czech Sauerbraten)

Beef shank or arm, or any roast

2 carrots, peeled and left whole

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

2 celery stalks

4 C water

½ C vinegar

1 tsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

2 slices bacon

1 small can evaporated milk

2 ½ Tbsp (or so) flour

Marinade roast in the vegetables, water, vinegar, and spices at least overnight, turning occasionally to submerge all sides. When ready to cook, fry off bacon slices in a Dutch oven to release the grease. (You can eat the bacon when you’re done with this—it isn’t needed for the rest of the recipe.) Put roast, vegetables, and marinade liquid into the Dutch oven and cook, partially covered, until roast is tender. Remove the roast to a platter and keep warm. Remove vegetables and puree in blender. Add puree back to stock in Dutch oven. Beat flour into evaporated milk into smooth and pour into stock. Cook over medium heat until gravy thickens. Slice roast, top with gravy, and serve with knedle. 

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“Bread Dumplings.” These are my favorite knedle. This is Gran’s recipe, passed down by Mom.

GRAN’S STEAMED KNEDLE

1 package yeast

¼ C warm water

Sugar

2 C milk

2-3 slices bacon

½ stick butter

1 ½ C bread cubes

3 eggs, beaten

5-6 C flour

Pour yeast into water and top with sugar. Let the yeast get foamy and add milk. Fry bacon crisp and drain well on paper towels. Melt butter in bacon drippings and fry bread cubes until golden brown. Remove from fire and crumble bacon with bread and butter. Add eggs to yeast-milk mixture. Mix flour into milk-egg mixture, ½ C at a time, and fold in bread cubes-bacon mixture. Form into golf ball sized balls on floured board. Cover with towel sprayed with cooking spray and let rise one hour. Steam above boiling water for about 15 minutes.