This beef roast is flavored with paprika, allspice and caraway, with a sauce out of tomato, soup greens and, of course, sour cream.
The "Fuhrmann", or Carter, was an important man from the middle ages onward. Carting wares from town to town, he was the go-to guy for information and news of the world. He also had an exciting aura about him, that of a traveler, a man who came from another town. That's why many festive dishes are named for him, including this roast with spices. (larger photo)
Serves 4-6
- 2 T. clarified butter or cooking oil
- 3 lb. beef pot roast, arm roast or other inexpensive cut
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ground, sweet, Hungarian paprika
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 leek, cleaned and chopped
- 1/4 celeriac root, peeled and chopped, or 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped, about 1 cup
- 1/4 c. tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. whole allspice or 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
- 1 tsp. caraway seed
- 2 T. sour cream (optional)
- 1 T. lemon juice (optional)
Melt the butter or oil in a pan which is large enough to hold your roast and comes with a tight-fitting lid. Rub the roast all over with salt, pepper and paprika and brown on all sides in the hot fat. Remove to a plate.
Add the finely chopped vegetables and brown them, stirring often. Put the roast back in the pan. Add the tomato paste (thin with 1/2 cup water), and the spices. Pour another cup of water into the pan, stir and close the lid tightly. Braise on low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until roast is fork tender. Check roast occasionally and add water as necessary. Remove the roast and keep warm.
For a smooth sauce purée the vegetables using a hand blender. Add the sour cream to the sauce and heat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You may want to add a little lemon juice as well as salt and pepper.
Tip: To keep the large allspice out of the sauce, you may wish to put them and the bay leaf in a twist of cheesecloth tied with string so that you can remove them before you finish the sauce.
