Tafelspitz is a speciality in southern-Germany and Austria. The perfect English translation has not yet been found. It can be any one of boiled rump, boiled beef topside or prime boiled beef

Ingredients

• 600g trimmed “Tafelspitz” (stewing beef)
• 2 carrots
• 1 leek
• 1 small stalk of celery
• 1 brazed onion
• 1-2 small heads of broccoli
• 250g white asparagus
• 1 bay leaf
• Parsley
• 12 sheets gelatine for every litre
• White wine vinegar
• 2 small glasses of flaked horseradish,
• A simple tureen tin (a square cake tin will do as well)
• Seasoning: salt, pepper, cloves, white pepper

Preparation

1. Put the washed meat into boiling, salted water and allow to boil for 1-2 minutes. (The professionals call this “blanching” the meat.)
2. Pour off the water.
3. Rinse the beef for a short time with cold water.
4. This is necessary in order to achieve a perfectly clear beef stock for the aspic (which saves you having to clear the beef stock later) .
5. Place the beef into boiling salted water a second time.
6. Add mirepoix (1 carrot, 1 leek, celery, parsley and onions, finely chopped and mixed together. Make sure the onions are caramelized in advance, using a frying pan without oil.). Alternatively use a vegetable stock cube.
7. This will give the consommé a delicious amber colour.
8. Season with:
9. 1 bay leaf, cloves, pepper corns and salt
10. Allow to simmer for 2-3 hours.
11. Remove froth from the surface when needed.
12. Put the brushed broccoli and the peeled asparagus into a separate saucepan of salted water.
13. Blanch broccoli and asparagus until al dente.
14. Then, cool in ice-cold water.
15. Sieve the beef stock through a kitchen towel.
16. Please be patient and do not apply any pressure during this process.
17. This ensures a perfect, clear result.
18. Now, we are ready for the next step.

Building the tureen:

1. Use a good quality wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a little bit of sugar for the beef stock which should end up tasting a little hot.
2. For each litre of consommé soak 10-12 sheets of gelatine in cold water.
3. Press out each sheet of gelatine and add to the beef stock.
4. Pour the beef stock into the tureen tin or cake tin, covering the bottom of the tin to 1 cm high.
5. Let the tin cool in the fridge.
6. Check occasionally to see if the stock has set and is ready to be cut.
7. Mix the ground horseradish with a little lemon juice, salt, white pepper and a little bit of sugar.
8. For every glass of horseradish (80-100g) soften 4-5 sheets of gelatine in cold water.
9. Microwave it.
10. Stir horseradish and gelatine and let the mixture set.
11. In the meantime cut the Tafelspitz (stewing beef) into thin slices.
12. Chop the broccoli into little roses and blanch them.
13. Let the broccoli cool off, as soon as it is al dente.
14. Put the first layer of sliced Tafelspitz into the aspic.
15. Add salt and pepper and then pour aspic into the tureen tin.
16. The Tafelspitz should be covered with approximately 0.5 cm of aspic.
17. Again, let the mixture to set in the fridge until it is firm.
18. Layer on some asparagus and cover with aspic again.
19. Add another layer of sliced Tafelspitz.
20. Again, allow dish to harden in the fridge.
21. Now you cover this with the prepared horseradish.
22. Add a little more aspic before putting the tureen tin back into the fridge.
23. Then. a final layer consisting of Tafelspitz.
24. Garnish it with blanched roses of broccoli.
25. Keep the tureen tin in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours.
26. (Ideally over night.)
27. Wait until the content of the tureen tin has cooled and hardened then remove.

Serving suggestion

• There is a knack to removing it properly from the tureen tin. Place it in hot water for a very short time. Then, using a very sharp kitchen knife, loosen it carefully around the edge.
• Cut slices up to 1 cm thick.
• The range of colours and layers, in particular white and green between the layers of beef, combined with a delicious summer salad is as appealing to the eye as it is the tongue.
• As an optional extra, add a vinaigrette of tomatoes and herbs as well as crispy toasted French baguette or italian ciabatta.