Originally, goulash was a traditional Hungarian peasant dish that spread to Central Europe and each country appropriated it by slightly modifying the recipe. Literally "shepherd's soup", goulash has become an integral part of Czech gastronomy. The Czech variant is generally composed of beef but can also be based on veal, pork, lamb, horse or mutton. The meat is boiled in a beef and vegetable broth (carrot, tomato, cabbage, turnip, etc.) and herbs, including the essential paprika, a fundamental ingredient in the recipe. It is commonly served with knedliky, boiled dumplings or sauerkraut. Cheap and particularly hearty, this dish will delight big eaters and those fond of Czech dishes.
Dishes with sauce are legion in the Czech Republic as in all of Central Europe. And svíčková na smetaně is no exception. This Czech culinary specialty is a main dish traditionally served at weddings. It consists of roast beef with cream and vegetables served with lingonberries and whipped cream. Depending on the region, the recipe differs slightly. Some put veal instead of beef, others add mustard to the sauce while the debate still rages on how to get the sauce (mixed or sieved). But everyone agrees that svíčková na smetaně is one of the favorite culinary specialties of Czech gastronomy.
Breaded and fried dishes are an important component in Czech cuisine. Almost every food is entitled to its breaded variant (meat, vegetable, cheese, etc.). One of the Czech culinary specialties is a fried cheese dish:Smažený sýr. This typical dish from the former Czechoslovakia consists of a piece of cheese one to two centimeters thick dipped in flour, beaten eggs and lightly spiced breadcrumbs then fried in oil. These fried cheese croquettes are served with fries or red cabbage. It is advisable to use hard cheeses such as Edam for this recipe.
