Lovely gulasch.
Originally uploaded by Manne.
This was originally a rather simple soup recipe I found, that I then experimented with to make it more hearthy and rich. So to be honest it has become more like a stew than a soup, but that is not a bad thing...
The word "gulasch" stems from Hungarian and means something like herdsman or shepherd, which should put a picture in your head of what this dish is like. After a long day of herding cattle, sitting on a wind swept plain with nothing but stars above your head, a fire in front of you and a big pot of this spicy warming stew simmering away above the flames.
Serve this with cous-cous or just some really nice bread to scoop up the sweet sauces.
Ingredients (serves 4 or 2 really hungry)
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 red chillis, halved (use Scotch bonnet for some kick)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 kg potatoes, roughly chopped (bite sized)
4 carrots, roughly chopped or sliced
4 tomatoes
1/2 kg beef, diced for casseroles
1 to 1 1/2l beef stock
100gr roasted pepper meze (paste, available in jars)
150gr sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
4tbsp tomato puree
2-3 tbsp paprika powder
1tbsp cumin powder
marjoram (or other dried herbs)
salt and pepper
Butter for frying
Sour cream for serving
Chives, finely chopped for serving
Options:
- Try using lamb instead of beef.
- Boil some (shelled) broad beans and sweet green peas for five minutes in lightly salted water and add to the pot just before serving.
Method
First, put the 4 tomatoes in a bowl and cover them with boling water for a few minutes. Take them out and peel them, then cut in quarters and remove the seeds and watery bits. Set aside.
Take a big pot (big enough to hold all of the above...) and melt some butter. Fry the onions to a golden translucent yellow, then add the paprika powder and give it a stir. Put 4tbsp of the stock in the mix.
Fry the meat with the onion mix in the pot. Once the meat is browned, add in the tomato quarters, the chopped garlic, the roasted red pepper paste, the sun dried tomatoes, the tomato puree, the remaining spices and the halved chilli fruits. Give it a good stir.
Pour 1l of the stock (you might need to top it up with more later, wither more stock or just more boiling water depending on your tastes) in the pot, bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 45 minutes.
Option: note to self, remember to try this with simmering for about 2 hours instead... Proper stewing it.
Add the potatoes and carrots, let simmer for another 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft yet with a nice crispy crunch.
If you wich to not surprise anyone, remove the chilli fruits before serving. Or play a game of spicy roulette...
This is where you could add the broad beans and peas before serving. Picked that up from a lamb stew I was once served while walking Hadrian's Wall and staying over at Brookside Villa, a lovely B&B run by Denise who also is a fantastic chef. The broad beans and peas lent a sweetness to the hearthy dish that went really well with the lamb meat. I think it would do wonders in this dish as well.
Serve in big bowls, with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche, and some finely chopped chives sprinkled on top. Criss cross two strands of chives over the dollop for presentation flair. Some nice whole meal bread is essential to scoop up the juices.
Another serving tip, instead of sour cream and chives, is sprinkling the bowl with a little grated lemon zest and very finely chopped garlic right before handing the bowls out. Great tip from a Jamie oliver beef stew recipe.
Serving option: make some cous-cous and serve with the stew ladled on top.
