Esterhazy Rostbraten (Beef Sirloin a la Esterhazy)
Submitted by dute
Esterhazy Rostbraten is a classic Austrian beef sirloin dish with julienned root vegetables in a cognac cream sauce. An elegant Viennese main course finished with sour cream.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
30 minREADY
55 minEsterhazy Rostbraten is one of the grand dishes of Austrian cuisine, named after the Hungarian noble family known for their lavish feasts. Seared beef sirloin gets topped with a rich cognac-cream sauce studded with julienned carrot, turnip, and celeriac.
The vegetables get blanched separately first, then shocked in ice water to stop the cooking. This keeps them tender-crisp and brightly colored in the finished sauce instead of going soft and grey. Save every drop of that blanching liquid. It reduces down into a concentrated vegetable stock that becomes the sauce’s backbone.
Multiple reductions build the sauce: cognac reduces first, then the vegetable stock, then cream, then beef stock. Each stage concentrates flavor. A swirl of cold butter at the end gives it gloss and body.
Chef Tips
- Use clarified butter (ghee) for searing. Regular butter burns at the high temperatures you need for a good sear on the sirloin.
- Julienne the vegetables thin and uniform so they cook evenly during the brief blanch. Thick, uneven pieces throw off the texture.
- Veal stock, if you can get it, makes the sauce silkier and more refined than beef stock. It’s the traditional choice.
- A swirl of sour cream piped through a pastry bag is the classic Viennese garnish. It’s not just decoration; the tang cuts through the richness.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of capers to the sauce for a sharper, more piquant finish.
- Use parsnip in place of turnip for a sweeter, milder root vegetable flavor.
- Serve over buttered spaetzle or egg noodles to catch every drop of the sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
- Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Drop in the peppercorns and bay leaf. Set up a big bowl of ice water nearby.
- Blanch the vegetables one type at a time: carrot first, then turnip, then celeriac. Give each 1 to 2 minutes until just crisp-tender and still bright. Scoop them straight into the ice bath to lock in color and crunch. Drain well and set aside.
- Strain the blanching liquid, discard the spices, and return the liquid to the pan. Simmer hard until it reduces to a scant ⅓ cup. This concentrated stock becomes the backbone of the sauce. Set it aside.
- Pat the sirloin dry. Season it lightly with salt and white pepper. Heat ⅔ cup ghee in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the steak 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature 130–135°F). Move it to a covered plate to rest and stay warm. Pour off most of the fat left in the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining ⅓ cup ghee. Stir in the chopped onion and cook until soft and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the cognac. Let it bubble and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes while you scrape up the browned bits.
- Add the reduced vegetable stock and simmer another 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, pour in the cream, and let the sauce reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Keep the bubbles gentle so the cream stays smooth.
- Pour in the beef stock and reduce by half again. Stir in the lemon juice and any juices that collected under the resting steak. Drop in the drained julienned vegetables and warm them through for a minute. Finish by swirling in the tablespoon of butter until the sauce turns glossy. Taste and adjust salt and white pepper.
- Slice the rested sirloin against the grain if you like, or leave it whole for drama. Spoon the vegetable-studded sauce over the meat. Pipe a decorative swirl of sour cream on top using a pastry bag or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped. Serve right away while everything is hot and the vegetables still have bite.
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