JBug's Kitchen Antics: Goulash Soup

12/30/2012

Goulash Soup

If you're looking for something to warm your winter weary bones, then here's just the thing. From Reader's Digest, Just One Pot this Hungarian soup is loaded with beef, onions, green pepper and spiced with garlic, caraway and paprika. Potatoes added during the last half hour of cooking add to the heartiness too.

I made some adjustments to the original recipe by using sweet Hungarian paprika and a dash of cayenne pepper instead of the hot paprika called for and threw in canned tomatoes instead of fresh; dry marsala wine took the place of regular red wine and I left the cream out of the recipe in exchange for a bigger dollop of Daisy (sour cream) on top.

The soup's siren song called us both back to the pot for seconds and I can't wait to enjoy a bowl for lunch today because as we all know, the flavor of soups and stews really improves with an overnight in the refrigerator. It's a keeper, no doubt about it!

Goulash Soup (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Reader’s Digest, Just One Pot)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds lean beef (I used chuck roast, cut into half inch cubes)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 cup dry masala wine, divided (or dry red wine)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1-1/2 quarts low sodium beef stock

3 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into half inch cubes

Sour cream as garnish

Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Season beef with salt and pepper and coat in flour. Brown well in batches if necessary (don’t crowd the pot). Remove beef and set aside. Add onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Add garlic and green pepper and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add paprika, cayenne pepper and caraway seeds and stir to combine. Add 1/4 cup of Marsala wine and stir well to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Add tomato paste, tomatoes and beef stock. Bring to a boil and return beef to the pot. Lower heat, cover pot and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. When beef is tender, stir in potatoes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed. Cook for additional half hour uncovered so soup thickens slightly and potatoes are tender. Add rest of the Marsala wine. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream. Serves 6 to 8.

A year ago - Roast Beef Sandwiches with Grilled Onions and Gorgonzola