Goulash

Growing up, and then starting to cook at University, I can remember the horrible meekness of cookbook recipes where strong flavours were concerned. I don’t know if this stemmed from war-time deprivation and paprika rationing, or if it was just a timid British palate. Bolognese with a pinch of herbs, chicken jalfrezi with a teaspoon of curry powder. Thankfully we’ve mostly got it out of our systems. But nevertheless, look for a recipe for goulash and you’ll still find plenty out there that call for “1 teaspoon paprika” or – ohmygosh – for a really raunchy dish: “2 teaspoons paprika”. American recipes seem equally pathetic when it comes to putting in flavour.

Try two tablespoons. And make it smoked paprika while you’re at it. And stop buying those stupid little jars of Schwartz spices. If you’re going to do any authentic Indian cooking or even give enough punch to your goulash then you’re going to be through a jar in one (maybe two) recipes.

There’s no such thing as “the” goulash recipe; it’s not a classic French dish, it’s a peasant stew or soup enjoyed right across eastern Europe. But from my own experiments I can confirm the following: (1) a bit of tomato is good, but not a whole tin – treat it like a bolognese and it won’t be right; (2) be cautious trying to add root veg – it feels like a natural thing to do, I know, but when I tried parsnip it added nothing to the goulash and beetroot was decidedly wrong; (3) beef definitely works out better than pork, although the addition of any kind of preserved pork sausage is a winner.

This is my recipe, but I have to say it varies a bit depending on what I have to hand.

Goulash – serves 4

1. In a large casserole, fry the onion in the butter for 5-6 minutes on a medium heat.
2. Take the dish off the heat, add the paprika and still in.
3. Back on the heat, add the garlic and the steak, fry until the steak is browned all over – the juices from the meat should prevent the paprika from burning.
4. Add the beer, stock, tomato puree, worcester sauce and thyme. Stir, season, cover and cook on a low simmer or in the oven at 170C for at least 1.5 hours but preferably 2.
5. Add the red pepper, tomatoes and any potato or parsnip you want. Check the seasoning while you’re at it. Cook for another 40 minutes or so.
6. When it’s done, either stir in the soured cream and chopped parsley or add them on top after serving.

You can serve goulash on a bed of plain rice, but equally good is with a hunk of crusty bread or some mashed potato. Really good is making Polish potato pancakes to go with it. Goulash has a great affinity with cabbage; you can go the whole hog and serve sauerkraut on the side, or just plain boiled and sprinkled with a little vinegar. If you like to tone down the spice then just stir more soured cream into the pot after cooking. Or only use sweet smoked paprika. Oh, and as with many spicy slow-cooked dishes you’ll find the goulash even better if you cook it the day before and re-heat!

Enjoy.