Dill Sauce with Slow-Roasted Beef
·Make the vibrant green dill emulsion
Dunk the whole dill, stems included, into boiling salted water for 15 seconds. Immediately cool it down in a bowl of ice water to lock in the colour. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. This step is the key to that vibrant green colour!
Blend and strain the dill oil
Put the dried dill into a blender with a neutral oil. Blend on the highest speed for 90 seconds. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or clean tea towel. Don't press or squeeze it — just let it drip naturally for about 2 hours at room temperature.
Sauce base: sear the beef
Pat the meat thoroughly dry and season all over with salt. Heat a little oil or fat from the meat in a pan and sear the beef on all sides over high heat until golden brown. Remove the seared meat from the pan and set aside.
Sauté the vegetable base
Add roughly chopped carrot, onion and celeriac to the same pan. Sauté until the vegetables turn golden. Then add the roughly chopped garlic cloves and let them release their aroma for a minute or so.
Deglaze and prep for roasting
Pour brandy over the vegetables and scrape up all the tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the alcohol evaporate. Pour in the beef stock, add the spices, and return the meat to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Slow-roast the meat until tender
Cover the pan with a lid and place it in an oven preheated to 140 °C (top/bottom heat). Roast slowly for 4 to 5 hours, until the meat is completely tender and falling apart.
Dill stems and reducing the sauce
Carefully remove the tender meat and keep it warm. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, discarding the vegetables. Return the sauce to the heat. Pick the dill fronds and crush the stems with a knife. Let the stems simmer gently in the sauce for 30–40 minutes. Reduce, but don't let it boil. Meanwhile, boil an egg.
Adjust thickness and seasoning
Remove the dill stems and pour in the cream. Let it simmer gently. Sweeten to taste and add a splash of vinegar. Adjust the thickness and seasoning as needed. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped dill fronds and butter. Mix well and let it rest for a few minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Serve your modern dill sauce
Slice the meat. Serve with your favourite bread dumplings, spoon over the reduced sauce, and finish with a drizzle of the vibrant dill emulsion. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and quarters of boiled egg. Enjoy!