"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Christopher M." > wrote:
>
>> Once upon a time I ordered a dish at a fine restaurant. It was like a
>> roulade of beef. Inside the beef were things like pickles and mustard,
>> and
>> maybe some sauerkraut.
>>
>> It was an Eastern European dish. I was told that women in Eastern Europe
>> would be judged on what kind of wife they would be, based on this dish.
>>
>> Anyhow, I have no idea what it was. Sorry. I'm just a Pooh bear.
>
> Beef Rouladen was a traditional dish in my youth. I have posted this
> recipe a couple of times:
>
> BEEF ROULADEN
> ===============
>
> 2 pounds beef round steak, cut 1/4 inch thick
> dill pickles, cut into spears
> onion, cut into sticks
> toothpicks
> fat (I use vegetable oil)
> flour
>
> Optional:
>
> 1/2 cup red wine
> beef stock
> 1 pound carrots, cut
>
> Have the butcher cut the meat on a slicing machine. You should end up
> with about eight slices. A normal adult will eat one or two rouladen.
> If you end up with more or less slices, that's fine. Cut the pickles so
> you have one spear per piece of meat. The onions are a little tricky to
> cut, you are going to want to roll up the meat around the pickle and
> onion, so you end up with a meat roll stuffed with the pickle and onion.
>
> The meat slices will probably be rectangular. You want the rolls short
> and thick. Lay a piece of meat down in front of you, with the long
> dimension going away from you. If it looks slightly triangular, it's
> better to start rolling with the slightly wider part. Put down a pickle
> spear and some onion on the part closest to you. Grab with both hands
> and start rolling. Secure with one or two toothpicks. String works
> better (buy it at a food store so you know it is safe for food), but
> more work to make and to serve.
>
> After they are all rolled, heat up a large pot and then put some oil in
> it. You want to brown the rolls in a single layer, otherwise they will
> release too much liquid and not brown properly. I usually brown them in
> two batches, unless I make a smaller recipe or have a large pot. If I
> have onions left after the assembly step, sometimes I will chop them and
> add them here, cooking for a couple of minutes in the oil. When the
> rouladen are done cooking, the onions will have disappeared into the
> liquid. After the rouladen are all browned, add water (and the optional
> red wine and/or beef stock) to almost cover. Note that they will
> shrink, so don't cover them with too much liquid initially. Bring to a
> boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for two to three hours on low heat.
> I really like the flavor that the carrots add to the gravy, plus I like
> to eat the carrots. If they are of a medium size, cut them into two
> pieces and then cut the thicker half lengthwise again. If you have
> "baby" carrots, they don't need cutting. Add them about an hour before
> serving.
>
> A little before eating, take a prewarmed platter and put the rouladen on
> it, with carrots if you made them. Cover and put in a warm place. Make
> gravy using some or all of the cooking liquid plus some flour (or use
> your favorite gravy technique). Note that the gravy is one of the best
> parts of the meal, although the dill flavor is a little strong.
>
> I like this served with mashed potatoes, rolls and green beans.
>
> Serve the gravy separately, but most people choose to put it over the
> rouladen, plus whatever else you've served that seems appropriate.
>
> Here's a completely different recipe with picture. Note that the
> picture doesn't match the recipe:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouladen
>
> Variations:
>
> 1. Cut some carrots into sticks. Roll them up with the pickle and
> onion inside the rouladen. My aunt does this, and also uses string
> rather than toothpicks.
>
> 2. Add bacon. You can put it inside or outside the rouladen. My
> brother puts it on the outside, but only on half of them. That way
> people can choose, although even the ones without bacon get some bacon
> flavor, and the gravy tastes like bacon also.

Thanks Dan. Those variations sound interesting.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)