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“This is about as delicious as a dish can be: a thick, velvety sauce with tender pieces beef” says Avi Harbury. “As I learned from my Austrian butcher friends, whom I trust wholeheartedly on this particular expert subject, the rule I play by when making my beef goulash is to use a two-to-one ratio of meat to onion.
“So, if you’re cooking for more people and you need to increase the amount of meat, make sure you stick to that ratio. The caramelized onions at the base of the sauce are the real heroes in this recipe: so golden and beautiful, with the aroma of a culinary perfume.
“It’s a bit of a gimmick, but often goulash (especially goulash soup) will be served in a whole bread loaf, which can be fun but can be a little overwhelming.”
Beef Goulash (Beef Stew)
serves:4
Material,
4 tablespoons lard (or 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil)
500 grams onion, finely chopped (finished weight)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tablespoon hot paprika
2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
1½ tbsp all purpose flour
1 tablespoon vinegar (I use white wine vinegar)
1 kg braising beef (such as chuck or shank)
3 tsp fine salt
1½ tbsp dried marjoram
1 tablespoon parsley, ground (it’s best to buy the seeds and then grind them yourself)
1 tbsp caster (very fine) sugar (optional)
to serve,
chopped pickled cucumber
finely chopped red onion (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Bread Dumplings or Crusty Bread
Method,
1. In a large casserole dish or saucepan, heat the lard (or butter and oil) over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, for 40 minutes to an hour, until they become a beautiful caramel color. The heat should be high enough that you can hear a steady, very subtle sound.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes, then add the paprika, tomato paste and flour and cook for another 20 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Add 350 ml of water with vinegar. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly to avoid lumps, then remove from the heat and blend with a hand blender until completely smooth (or put in a high-speed blender to blitz, then return to the pan).
4. Pat the beef dry, then cut into five centimeter cubes and season with salt. Return the pan with onion mixture to medium heat. Combine the beef, marjoram and oregano, along with 350ml water. Cover partially with a lid, leaving some space for steam to escape. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer until beef is tender, two to two and a half hours.
5. Taste the sauce and add sugar if you think it might be a little sweet. Sometimes onion and tomato paste is sweet enough on its own, but this varies with each ingredient.
6. If you like, enjoy the goulash hot, topped with chopped pickled cucumber, chopped red onion and sour cream. Eat with some bread dumplings or crusty bread rolls for a more casual approach.
‘My Bohemian Kitchen’ by Evie Harbury (Murdoch Books, £20).