Portrait of Frederic Chopin (1810-1849). Private Collection (Source Getty)


Composer Frederic Chopin often drew on Polish themes in his work, and it seems he had a great appreciation for the food of his home country as well! Zrazy, a Polish dish made of thin slices of chopped beef stuffed with vegetables and eggs, was one of his personal favorites. Chopin, who often longed for home, was once overjoyed to discover zrazy was on the menu at a dinner party and wrote, "This rare man, Dr. Malfatti, is so considerate of everyone. If we come to dine with him, he searches out Polish food for us!"

ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Beef (top round, sirloin, or flank steak)

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

4 large Pickles (quartered lengthwise)

8 slices of Bacon

2 Onions (finely chopped)

2 Garlic cloves (minced)

1 cup Beef broth

1/2 cup Red wine (optional)

1 tbsp All-purpose flour

1 tbsp Butter (or oil)

1 Onion (chopped)

1 Garlic clove (minced)

1 tsp Dried marjoram

Salt and pepper (to taste)

1 tbsp Olive oil

Instructions

Prepare the Beef: Slice the beef into 8 thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Pound each slice to tenderize and thin out the meat.

Season the Beef: Sprinkle each slice with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of mustard on one side of each slice.

Prepare the Filling: In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add minced garlic, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside.

Assemble the Rolls: Place a slice of bacon, a quartered pickle, and a spoonful of the filling on each slice of beef. Roll tightly and secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks.

Sear the Rolls: In a large saucepan, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef rolls on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.

Prepare the Sauce: In the same pot, add chopped onions and cook until golden. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle flour or cornstarch and stir well.

Simmer the Rolls: Add beef broth and red wine (if using) to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Return the beef rolls to the skillet. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours, until the meat is tender.

Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thin, let it reduce or add a bit more flour or cornstarch dissolved in water.

Serve: Remove kitchen twine or toothpicks from the rolls. Serve hot with sauce over mashed potatoes, buckwheat, or kopytka.