Horseradish sauce

A creamy Czech horseradish sauce (křenová omáčka) with a fresh, fiery kick — the traditional partner for boiled beef.

Ingredients

• beef broth500 ml
• butter40 g
• plain flour40 g
• cream100 ml
• fresh horseradish3 tbsp
• sugar1 tsp

Method

1. Make the roux. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until you have a pale, sandy paste — it should smell lightly biscuity but not brown.
2. Add the broth. Pour in the beef broth gradually, whisking constantly to keep the sauce smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Stir in cream. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the cream, stirring it through. Simmer gently for a further 3–4 minutes until the sauce is velvety and smooth.
4. Add horseradish and sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh horseradish and sugar. Taste and adjust — add a pinch more sugar if the heat feels too sharp, or a little more horseradish if you want a fiercer kick.
5. Plate and serve. Pour the sauce straight away over sliced boiled beef — the heat will mellow the horseradish quickly, so serve immediately to keep that fresh, fiery character.