I prefer my goulash to be a bit more like stew, or a thick soup. When I had time to prepare, I usually use chuck steak and slow cook it.
But the other night, I just feel like something with a bit of kick, but I also realise that I didn't have the time to make it properly, like how I normally would, add or take away a few ingredients on the list, depending on what I have got in the cupboard that day.
So I do have some rump steak at home, thick slices, not those ones from gourmet butchers, just those super market ones - our family do live on a budget, and some potatoes and tomatoes.
This is my quick goulash, just for a quick week night dinner, to serve with pasta.
2 tbsp Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp callaway seeds,
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp all spice powder
2 large potatoes in chucky chips.
400g rump steak, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 small roma tomatoes (that's what I had, can use any tomatoes)
1 red chilli
stock
salt and black pepper to taste.
fresh parsley
Cooking vegetable oil or butter
Heat up oil or butter in pan, I prefer olive oil to lower the cholestorel level, saute and garlic, onion, callaway seeds and paprika till fragrant. Add beef, slightly brown it and add the vegetables. Add the rest of the spices, coat well, and wait until everything is half cooked, add stock (or just water) enough to cover, and reduce heat, let it simmer for as long as you can. In my case, it was roughly 1-1.5 hours. Add salt and pepper 30 minutes before ready, and sprinkle on the fresh chopped parsley when serving.
I know, it's not authentic. When I made my first goulash, it was - at least I thought so, recipe was passed on to me by my Hungarian girl friend... Hope she's not having a heart attack with me changing her recipes....
I love it in cold winter nights and nowadays I'd do it in a slow cooker. The meats just belt, and the soup is thick enough to go with some char grilled hard crust bread that has brushed on some olive oil....
This is my Goulash...
INGREDIENTS
1kg beef (chuck steak, top side, gravy beef...)
4 tbsp sweet paprika – Hungarian paprika
2 tbsp hot paprika
2 tbsp Callaway seeds
1 tbsp crashed black pepper
½ cup red wine
1 red capsicum, 1 carrot, 1 celery stick cut in 1” pieces
2 big tomatoes cut in 1” pieces
1 onion cut in 1” pieces
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tbsp cooking oil
A pinch of salt & sugar
1 cup stock (chicken, beef, veal)
Fresh herbs Sprigs Oregano, thyme, Bay leaves, flat leaves parsley, rosemary
3 tbsp plain flour
METHOD
1. Coat beef in a little bit of salt and cracked pepper and plain flour, set aside.
2. Heat up cooking oil in frying pan, caramelise onion and garlic, add the paprika’s, Callaway seeds and cracked black pepper corn.
3. Once it fragrance, add beef till half cooked.
4. Add the vegetables, and then add wine.
5. Add stock & salt(or water), if using shop stock, use less salt.
6. Use kitchen twine to tie up fresh herbs and make bouquet garni, add to the pot / pan
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer till beef is tender and liquid is reduced to half, usually 1 hour. If liquid dries up during cooking and beef is still not tender, can top up with some stock or water.
Serving Options:
Serve hot with rice, pasta, polenta or grilled crusty bread and a salad. The traditional version usually go with Hungarian dumplings freshly made with a dough similar to pasta dough but more like Gnocchi shape…..
2 nights ago, I made this one for dinner and catering for the children especially. My son loves baked beans and I don't feel like giving him Heinz... so...
I soaked 100g cannellini beans overnight.
drizzle some olive oil in pan and add some chopped fine onion and garlic... to brown...
Added a can of peeled roma tomatos and 2 tbsp of tomato paste as well as some dry herbs, oregano, thyme, rosemary....
added the soaked cannellini and simmer for about an hour.
added the beef sausages and cooked for a further 30 min...
added some ricotta cheese chunks 5 minutes before I was ready to call the children for dinner, and some fresh parsley leaves...
And this is one of our favourite winner dessert now - Sticky Date pudding with butter scotch sauce and praline the product from Masterchef Season 1 recipe.....
