Polish Pot Roast with Sour Cream

Amongst all the winter stodge I crave a hint of sharpness and freshness, and thought this would fit the bill. It’s from a book called The Old Warsaw Cook Book. I have kept the measurements as they are in the book.

3-4lb chuck or rump steak

3tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

½ cup beef stock

2 onions, cut

2 carrot, cut

Flour

Salt & Pepper

1 large dill pickle

2 cups sour cream

The boy doesn’t much like dill pickles, but as these will cook with the meat, they will mellow. I’m cutting it into very small dice. I sought his opinion as to how fine the “cut” vegetables should be and reckons very coarsely, as otherwise they will disintegrate during cooking. Very wise.

Get a large flame proof casserole and brown the beef all over in the butter. Add the bay leaf, carrots, onions and salt and pepper. Once it’s all coated with the melted butter, add the dill pickle.  Cook over a low heat for about 3 hours, basting with water from time to time so it doesn’t burn. This gives me plenty of this Sunday afternoon to enjoy with the boy. We’re making Christmas wreathes out of dried orange slices, dried chillies and cinnamon sticks. Very foodie! I have to admit his is better than mine, so we will keep my one and give his to his Mum.

So keep basting and 30 minutes before it is done, sprinkle the beef on all sides with the flour. Add the stock, to make a sauce.  Once it is bubbling away. Mix a tbsp. of flour with the sour cream and whisk it well so it is smooth. Pour this in and stir it in as well as you can. Cook for the final 30 minutes so the flour cooks through and it all combines and thickens.

We are having this with boiled, buttered potatoes and green beans. The boy is agonising over red wine for the beef or white for the cream sauce. He goes for an unstructured Chilean Chardonnay.

It’s good – it chases out the winter chill, but still has a fresh taste. I’d like to try a version of this in a Crock pot/Slow Cooker some time. I also think a little chopped dill sprinkled over when serving would be good, but I don't have any.