Recipe
Ingredients
Hungarian Goulash
1 Tbsp Lard or cooking oil
2 ½ to 3 lbs. Lean pork, cut into ½ inch chunks
3 Tbsp Lard or Butter
4 Medium Onions, finely chopped
4 Large Carrots, finely chopped
3 Celery Stalks, finely chopped
2 to 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 to 4Tbsp Hungarian Sweet Paprika
½ Tsp Dried Thyme or 1 ½ Tsp Fresh
½ Tsp Dried Savory or 1 ½ Tsp Fresh
½ Tsp Caraway Seeds
3 Quarts Beef Stock
2 Cups Tomato Puree
2 Cups Chopped Cabbage
1 Lb. Sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
4 oz. Green Beans, cut into ½ inch lengths
2 Large Potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
Salt to taste (optional)
½ Tsp Black Pepper
2 Cups Sour Cream
Chopped Parsley or Chives for garnish
In a 5 quart sauce pan heat 1 Tbsp lard over high heat until begins to smoke. Drop in the pieces of meat. Stir to sear and brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. Lift the meat out with a slotted spoon and set aside for the moment.
Drop 3 tablespoons lard or butter into the hot pot and add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cover and sweat over medium heat until onions are soft and begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in the paprika, thyme, savory and caraway seeds. Add stock, tomato puree and chopped cabbage.
Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 ½ hours.
If the green beans are to be included, cut them into 1 ½ inch lengths, blanch in a quart of boiling salted water. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Reserve.
During the last ½ hour of simmering, dip 1 ½ cups of vegetables from the pot and puree them in a food processor or blender. Return the puree to the goulash to thicken.
Add sauerkraut and return the pork and simmer 15 minutes.
Drop in the potatoes and green beans and simmer for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
When the stew is done, stir all but a few spoonfuls of sour cream into the goulash and turn off heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
Serve stew in heated bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of the reserved sour cream, sprinkle with parsley or chives.