Rouladen Time

Updated: After I made this last night I decided that a beurre manie is a better option for thickening this. The butter adds a nice gloss to the sauce and brings in some flavor as well. I've updated this below to reflect using flour and butter for the thickening. I also corrected the spelling of spaetzle.

I mentioned my brain fart at the grocery this morning confusing the ingredients for rouladen and braciole, Whatever, I got home without the Parma ham for the braciole so I am making rouladen instead. Indecision is the key to flexibility and besides Madam much prefers rouladen to braciole anyway.

Anyhow, here is my version of rouladen.
This recipe uses potato but it is also done with sour or dill pickle...just use a piece of
pickle instead of the spud. And yes, a slice of parsnip, rutabaga or turnip will do as well. We're talking peasant food here folks...you make do.

8 slices top round steak, (1/8 or so inch thick and about a pound or so) a good butcher
will know what to give you if you tell him/her what you are making. If they don't know
from rouladen then maybe they know from braciole which is a similar Italian dish.
4 strips thick bacon cut in half
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1  medium baking potato (russet or Yukon Gold)  cut into "dinner fry" pieces
salt and pepper
2 dry bay leaves
5 or 6 whole allspice
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups beef broth preferably low sodium

to thicken the sauce

2 TBSP  all-purpose flour
2 TBSP softened butter

adjust salt and pepper

Chopped fresh Italian parsley, optional

Directions:
Make the meat rolls.
Lightly spread mustard on each slice of steak; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 1
bacon strip piece, a potato wedge and a few onion wedges on each slice then roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks.

In a large skillet, brown beef in oil until no longer pink; drain.  Add broth,allspice and
bay; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer or braise for 1-1/2  hours or until
meat is tender.  Remove meat and keep warm.Using a slotted spoon, skim out the bay leaves and allspice and discard.
Knead together the butter and flour to form a smooth paste (beurre manie) and whisk into broth. Bring back to a boil, stirring  until thickened. Remove toothpicks from the meat rolls and return to
gravy.  Heat through and and serve. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

Serve with noodles or spaetzle

6-8 servings.