check

Every Czech will tell you that his or her maminka or babi makes this best. An essential hearty wintertime dish, svíčková na smetaně or smetana (to add all the diacritical marks we couldn't get into the page title because of software limitations) is everywhere to be found in Prague this time of year, when people come in out of the cold and want something substantial and savory to warm them up.

The dish takes one of the best cuts of beef, the tenderloin, and makes it more flavorful yet by marinating it in the vegetables with which it will later be cooked -- as well as adding vinegar to further tenderize the meat (a technique that will be familiar to those who've made that similar German specialty, sauerbraten). The dumplings -- big fluffy ones that are sliced with a thread before serving -- are absolutely mandatory: the recipe for them follows at the bottom of the full entry. Svíčková is often served (as in the picture) with cranberry sauce: the tart flavor complements the richness of the dish.

Click on "read more" for the recipe...