Svíčková na smetaně

Lard the beef with strips of smoked fat laid along the grain. Bury it in the grated roots with the spices and vinegar and refrigerate for a day.

Dry the meat and brown it in butter on all sides. Lift it out.

In the same pan fry the roots from the marinade with the onion for twenty minutes: they should darken noticeably, which is where the colour comes from.

Return the meat, pour in the marinade and enough water to reach the vegetables, and braise covered for two hours over a low flame.

Take the meat out, remove the bay and blend the vegetables with the liquid until smooth. Pass it through a sieve: this is the step that separates a home svíčková from a restaurant one.

Stir in the cream, lemon juice and sugar, warm it without boiling and taste. Carve the meat across the grain and serve with the sauce, lingonberry and a slice of lemon.