Mangia Mondays: German Rouladen

I'm back! I hope i still have some readers after taking a week off. I missed checking in on all of my blog friends last week, but boy howdy did i enjoy getting away with my family. Destin's weather wasn't always cooperative at the start of our vaca, but for the rest of last week we had a blast together! The only good thing about leaving the beach for real life again is alone time with my hubby. In a house with 12 other people, privacy is virtually nonexistent. So for a couple of days i'd been planning on cooking a great meal for Jeff our first night back. And lucky for me inspiration struck via the Food Network yesterday morning.

While we were getting ready to leave for the airport, I had Food Network on in the background and Ten Dollar Dinners aired. This was my first time catching this show, but it was terrific. On this episode Cook Melissa D'Arabian made some German family favorites with her twist and Rouladen was the main dish, which happens to be one of Jeff's favorites. Sold! Her recipe is slightly different than the one I've made for him, but was so much more tender & flavorful I just had to blog about it!

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 (1 1/2 lb) piece of flatiron steak, butterflied open (by you or your butcher), cut into 4 equal pieces & pounded 1/4-inch thin
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• 2 TB Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 large yellow onions, diced
• 2 TB pickle relish
• 2 TB veg oil
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes or use garden fresh
• kitchen twine or metal skewers

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 
2. In a small saute pan over med-low heat, cook the bacon just enough to render the fat, and set aside. Salt and pepper the steaks and lay flat on a large cutting board. Brush the top side of the slices with enough mustard just to coat. 
3. In a small bowl, toss together half the onion with the pickle relish and the reserved bacon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the onion mixture over the meat. Starting at the short end, roll the meat up jellyroll style, and secure with kitchen twine or skewers. 
4. Heat the oil in a medium heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and brown all sides of the meat. Remove the meat from the pan, and add the remaining onion, carrot and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine and then add in the canned tomatoes (with their juice). 
5. Nestle the meat back into the pan, bring to a simmer, cover and then bake until the meat is tender, about 90 minutes. Turn the meat once halfway through cooking

I cannot tell you just how much we loved this recipe. The steak was so tender & buttery. And the combo of dijon mustard coupled with bacon & pickle relish was amazing. Since i was so intrigued with Melissa D'Arabian's Rouladen recipe, i decided to make her Braised Cabbage With Green Apples as a side too. Let me tell you, that was the best decision I've made all week - it was divine! Paired with twice baked potatoes & a glass of Cabernet, this was a huge hit and perfect way to settle back into home again. I hope y'all bookmark Melissa's recipe and give it a try - it promises not to disappoint, trust me. Mangia Mangia y'all!