GOULASH - A PAPRIKA OVERLOAD!

Goulash is like Borscht; everyone makes it differently. But no matter how it's made, the main ingredients definitely have to be present in this rich Hungarian beef stew or it isn't Goulash. And although it can be served many different ways, serving it the old way - over noodles - is my favorite. That may not fly well with today's low carb, high protein mindset, but who cares? Sometimes you just have to be honest with yourself and give in to the fact that you need to enjoy certain things once in a while. And besides, tomorrow is another day.

This dish was originally made by Hungarian cattlemen out in the field and was a simple combination of tough cuts of beef simmered in a stock enriched with onions, garlic, vegetables and a lot of paprika. The Goulash or "Gulyas" was cooked for several hours until tender. The stew was thickened by the natural collagen present in the tough muscle used to make the stew and was converted to geletin as it simmered.

Here is my somewhat quicker version which is served here (by request) with whipped potatoes rather than the traditional noodles.

The emince of beef is mixed with a light coating of oil and is seasoned with freshly milled pepper and salt. It is allowed to marinate for a few minutes as a pan is heated for searing the beef.

A pan is heated to a very high heat for searing the beef.

The beef is seared to a medium brown.

Yellow onion, garlic and red peppers are added.

The onions and peppers are sauteed in with the beef until they begin to get tender.

Paprika is added. How much paprika? LOTS!

Everything is cooked out over a medium temperature until the peppers are nice and soft and the Goulash begins to resemble a stew in consistency.

Beef stock is added. The stew is simmered down and red wine vinegar is added to balance out the flavors. A final seasoning with salt and pepper finishes it off.

A bit of sour cream takes it to that special place where we go when we want to indulge ourselves.

Ah yes, Goulash!