cat lover
10-18-2006, 07:15 AM
Recipe from Black Forest Crusine
After World War I, many Hungarians moved to find a better life in Southern Germany and settled in the Black Forest. The many varieties of goulash I enjoyed growing up and leaned to prepare in Gasthaus kitchens attest to the influence of Hungarian cuisine in our region. Home and restaurant cooks like to serve this hearty dish because it is delicious and inexpensive to prepare. A little meat goes a long way here and almost any kind will do. I suggest using beef here, but you can certainly prepare a gemischtes gulasch (mixed goulash) by incorporating pork and/or veal. Cooks also occasionally stretch this dish by adding potatoes. Most often included in traditional Hungarian goulashes, potatoes add flavor and help to thicken the dish. You will notice that I do not call for them in this recipe, simply because we usually omitted them. (If you wish to add potatoes, see the chef's note.) Instead, we added lots of onions, which not only impart rich flavor, but also serve as a marvelous thickener. Lastly on this point, because we rely on the onions, few Black Forest goulashes call for flour or cornstarch to help thicken the dish. I have included cornstarch in this recipe just in case you find it necessary. Some goulashes are spicy while others are quite mild. Feel free to vary the amount of paprika and red pepper flakes to suit your taste. It is imperative that you use Hungarian paprika, however, as it imparts just the right combinations of sweet spiciness. In addition, I suggest that you take the trouble to use freshly ground caraway seeds, as the prepared ground variety is virtually tasteless. This goulash is a hearty mix of spice and tang, which is brightened and refreshed with the addition of fresh lemon zest at the end.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1/2 cup vegetable oil, or 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic
4 pounds white onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 pounds beef shoulder, cut into 2 to 2 1/2-inch cubes
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Burgundy
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
3/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 quarts Beef Stock (recipe follows)
3/4 tbsp dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 1/4 tbsp freshly ground caraway seeds
cornstarch, as needed
zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped
Heat the oil (or melt the butter) in a large shallow sauce pan over medium high heat.Add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Toss in the onions and saute till softened and translucent, about 15 to 20 minutes.Season the beef with salt and pepper, place the pieces in the sauté pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the beef is browned evenly and the pan is nearly dry. Pour in 1 cup of the wine to deglaze, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any bowned bits on the bottom of the pan, and raise the heat to high. Bring the wine to a boil and boil until it is reduced to the point where the pan is nearly dry again.Stir in the tomato paste, add the remaining 1/2 cup of red wine and boil until the pan is nearly dry once more.Reduce the heat to medium low, add the paprika and sprinkle in the flour. Pour in beef stock, whisking until smooth and to prevent lumps from forming, add the red pepper flakes and caraway. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent the paprika from burning.
Season the stew with additional salt and pepper if necessary and stir in the lemon zest just before serving.
Chef's Note: Potatoes are sometimes included in goulash and are great for adding flavor and helping to thicken the stew. If you choose to try this variation, add 3 cups of peeled, chopped, or cubed potatoes in step 5 with the spices and stock.
Beef Stock
Rinder Fond
Beef stock is a staple in every restaurant kitchen. With a little preparation and time it is also easy to make at home. Freeze this stock and keep it on hand for roasts, stews and sauces.
Makes 3 quarts
3 pounds meaty beef or veal bones, such as neck bones, shank pieces, short ribs, knuckles, or leg bones with marrow
3 cups full bodied red wine, such as Burgundy
1 celery root, skin on, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
2 gallons water, chilled
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 leek, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, and rinsed thoroughly
3 dried bay leaves
1 small bunch fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
12 white peppercorns
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Place the bones in a large roasting pan and roast, turning the bones once, until the meat and bones are well browned, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.Drain the fat from the roasting pan, add the wine to deglaze, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Add the celery, carrots, onion and garlic to the pan, place back in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.Remove the pan from the oven, pour in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the tomato paste, leek, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, peppercorns and browned meat and bones and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, occasionally removing any foam that rises to the surface, until the stock is reduced to 2 quarts, about 4 hours.Line a large colander or fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth, set in a large bowl and strain the stock.Cool the stock in an ice bath and pour into jars or plastic containers. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
After World War I, many Hungarians moved to find a better life in Southern Germany and settled in the Black Forest. The many varieties of goulash I enjoyed growing up and leaned to prepare in Gasthaus kitchens attest to the influence of Hungarian cuisine in our region. Home and restaurant cooks like to serve this hearty dish because it is delicious and inexpensive to prepare. A little meat goes a long way here and almost any kind will do. I suggest using beef here, but you can certainly prepare a gemischtes gulasch (mixed goulash) by incorporating pork and/or veal. Cooks also occasionally stretch this dish by adding potatoes. Most often included in traditional Hungarian goulashes, potatoes add flavor and help to thicken the dish. You will notice that I do not call for them in this recipe, simply because we usually omitted them. (If you wish to add potatoes, see the chef's note.) Instead, we added lots of onions, which not only impart rich flavor, but also serve as a marvelous thickener. Lastly on this point, because we rely on the onions, few Black Forest goulashes call for flour or cornstarch to help thicken the dish. I have included cornstarch in this recipe just in case you find it necessary. Some goulashes are spicy while others are quite mild. Feel free to vary the amount of paprika and red pepper flakes to suit your taste. It is imperative that you use Hungarian paprika, however, as it imparts just the right combinations of sweet spiciness. In addition, I suggest that you take the trouble to use freshly ground caraway seeds, as the prepared ground variety is virtually tasteless. This goulash is a hearty mix of spice and tang, which is brightened and refreshed with the addition of fresh lemon zest at the end.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1/2 cup vegetable oil, or 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic
4 pounds white onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 pounds beef shoulder, cut into 2 to 2 1/2-inch cubes
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Burgundy
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
3/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 quarts Beef Stock (recipe follows)
3/4 tbsp dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 1/4 tbsp freshly ground caraway seeds
cornstarch, as needed
zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped
Heat the oil (or melt the butter) in a large shallow sauce pan over medium high heat.Add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Toss in the onions and saute till softened and translucent, about 15 to 20 minutes.Season the beef with salt and pepper, place the pieces in the sauté pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the beef is browned evenly and the pan is nearly dry. Pour in 1 cup of the wine to deglaze, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any bowned bits on the bottom of the pan, and raise the heat to high. Bring the wine to a boil and boil until it is reduced to the point where the pan is nearly dry again.Stir in the tomato paste, add the remaining 1/2 cup of red wine and boil until the pan is nearly dry once more.Reduce the heat to medium low, add the paprika and sprinkle in the flour. Pour in beef stock, whisking until smooth and to prevent lumps from forming, add the red pepper flakes and caraway. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent the paprika from burning.
Season the stew with additional salt and pepper if necessary and stir in the lemon zest just before serving.
Chef's Note: Potatoes are sometimes included in goulash and are great for adding flavor and helping to thicken the stew. If you choose to try this variation, add 3 cups of peeled, chopped, or cubed potatoes in step 5 with the spices and stock.
Beef Stock
Rinder Fond
Beef stock is a staple in every restaurant kitchen. With a little preparation and time it is also easy to make at home. Freeze this stock and keep it on hand for roasts, stews and sauces.
Makes 3 quarts
3 pounds meaty beef or veal bones, such as neck bones, shank pieces, short ribs, knuckles, or leg bones with marrow
3 cups full bodied red wine, such as Burgundy
1 celery root, skin on, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
2 gallons water, chilled
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 leek, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, and rinsed thoroughly
3 dried bay leaves
1 small bunch fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
12 white peppercorns
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Place the bones in a large roasting pan and roast, turning the bones once, until the meat and bones are well browned, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.Drain the fat from the roasting pan, add the wine to deglaze, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Add the celery, carrots, onion and garlic to the pan, place back in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.Remove the pan from the oven, pour in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the tomato paste, leek, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, peppercorns and browned meat and bones and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, occasionally removing any foam that rises to the surface, until the stock is reduced to 2 quarts, about 4 hours.Line a large colander or fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth, set in a large bowl and strain the stock.Cool the stock in an ice bath and pour into jars or plastic containers. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.