How to make Beef rouladen

Ingredients

• 4 large thin slices of beef topside (about 150 g each), pounded thin
• 4 teaspoons medium-hot mustard
• 4 rashers of streaky bacon
• 1 onion, cut into thin wedges
• 2 pickled gherkins, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 500 ml beef stock
• 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with a little cold water
• Salt and black pepper
• Kitchen string or cocktail sticks

Method

1. Lay the beef slices flat, season with salt and pepper and spread each one with mustard.
2. Lay a rasher of bacon, some onion and gherkin strips at the short end of each slice. Roll up tightly, fold in the sides, and tie with string or pin with cocktail sticks.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the rolls well on all sides. Add any remaining onion and the tomato purée and stir for 1 minute.
4. Pour in the stock, cover and simmer very gently for about 1 hour 30 minutes, turning the rolls now and then, until tender.
5. Lift out the rolls, remove the string, and stir the cornflour into the liquid. Simmer for 2 minutes until the gravy thickens, and season.
6. Serve the rolls in the gravy with boiled potatoes or dumplings and red cabbage.