Rouladen (Gluten Free)

This is a traditional dish from north western Europe - ( I know they eat it in Holland and Germany, but not sure of other places), and like other traditional foods, there are infinite variations. It is a cheaper, tougher cut of meat, which is why it is sliced so thinly, and cooked for a longer time to make a very tender flavourful meal. Wil and the boys love this served with boiled or mashed potatoes to soak up all the pan drippings. Many recipes call for pickles or other vegetables in the rolled steaks, but we stick with meat and onion.

What you need: 12 thinly cut rouladen steaks - ( you can buy these precut in the Safeway and Sobeys stores locally, but if they are not in your grocery store, you can ask the butcher to cut them. They are about one-quarter inch thick and cut from outside round steak); 1 medium onion, cut in half then sliced into 12 slices, 12 strips of bacon, mustard blend*, and salt and pepper or a spice blend such as Montreal steak spice; 12 toothpicks; 1- 1/4 lb block of margarine, or your favourite cooking oil.

* mustard blend - I like to mix classic Dijon, or Dutch mustard with some 'Bold and Spicy' and a little plain yellow mustard. You make a blend which is to your personal taste. As always I never measure, but just stir until I have about a third to a half cup.

What you do: Find a large flat surface to work on. Prepare mustard mix and stir in your spice blend or the salt and pepper, and slice onion. Stack all the steaks, and put bacon in easy reach. Spread each steak with the spiced mustard blend, then lay bacon strip along the length, fold if it is longer than the steak. Add onion to the widest end of steak, roll from that end toward the narrow end, and fasten with a toothpick. Repeat with all the steaks.
Heat margarine or oil in a large skillet to fairly hot. Add rolled steaks, and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium low. Add about a cup of water, and cover pan. Let simmer for 40 minutes to an hour, turning occasionally.
meanwhile, cook your potatoes, and a vegetable of your choice. To serve, place 1 or 2 steaks on a plate and add potatoes and vegetable. Add a ladle of pan drippings, poured over the rouladen and potatoes.  Enjoy.