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2016-01-03 -Short Attention Span Theater-

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Posted by swksvolFF 2016-01-03 00:00|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 I know nothing about charcouterie, and the subject rather intimidates me, being as I am an end user. Instead, since this is an open thread, I give you Goulash two ways: as the proper Hungarian beef-paprika stew, and a quick ersatz version my darling mother-in-law invented in her youth. Mr. Wife and the trailing daughters adore the former, but whenever I make the latter their hearts melt. Also, it takes precisely as long to make it as it takes for the noodles to cook, perfect for a weeknight dinner or when the children need to be fed.

Goulash (Hungarian Beef Stew)
Serves 6-8. Based on a recipe in Cook's Illustrated 11/08.

Prep time 30-45 minutes, cooking time ~3 hours. Make up to two days before serving.
Do not substitute hot, half-sharp, or smoked Spanish paprika for the sweet paprika. Since paprika is vital to this recipe, it is best to use a fresh container. Chuck-eye roast is preferred, but any boneless chuck will do. Cook stew in a 6-qt. Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. (Alternatively, to ensure a tight seal, place a sheet of foil over the pot before adding the lid.) The stew is best when cooled, covered tightly, and refrigerated 1-2 days before serving; wait to add the sour cream until after reheating. Can be frozen up to six months.

Ingredients
3 1/2 - to 4-pound boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into Âžâ cubes (do not get pre-cut, as the pieces are irregular, therefore cook irregularly)
1 1/2 tsp.salt
1/3 cup (2 oz.) sweet paprika powder
12-ounce (about 1 cup) jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste (get in tube rather than can, if possible -- it tastes less tinny)
2 tsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 large onions, diced (about 6 cups = 840g = scant 2 lb)
4 large cloves garlic
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4" thick rounds (about 2 cups) or more, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups low sodium beef broth (any brand with first ingredients listed as beef plus yeast extract)
1 cup sour cream or drained plain Greek yoghurt

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle meat evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside. Process paprika, roasted peppers, tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons vinegar in food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.

2. Combine oil, onions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large Dutch oven or two 3 quart pots; cover and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften but have not yet begun to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. (If onions begin to brown, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 1 tablespoon water.) Crush garlic, add to pot, sauteâ for 30 seconds until perfume is released.

3. Stir in paprika mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions stick to bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Scrape onion mixture over beef, set aside. Turn heat up to high, then deglaze pot with red wine, scraping up browned bits while boiling rapidly to reduce. Add beef broth, continuing to boil rapidly to reduce to about half a cup. Add onion mixture, beef, carrots, bay leaf and pepper; stir until beef is well coated. Scrape down sides of pot, then cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat is almost tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. If needed add water until the surface of the liquid is 1/4" from top of meat (beef should not be fully submerged). Return covered pot to oven and continue to cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool. While cooling, remove a cup or two of liquid and boil until reduced by half, then return to pot and continue cooling. (Reducing the sauce really concentrates the flavours.) Refrigerate up to two days.

4. To serve: skim fat off surface of goulash, remove bay leaf, then reheat over medium heat. Meanwhile, boil 1 lb.egg noodles or small, red-skinned potatoes. Stir sour cream into goulash, then adjust salt and pepper to taste. Drain potatoes/noodles. Quarter potatoes, if using, then toss potatoes/noodles with 2-4 Tbsp. butter.

5. Serve stew over potatoes or egg noodles, with green salad on the side and a good, crusty bread, if desired. Nice with a sturdy young red wine: Zinfadel, an Australian Shiraz or a Napa Valley Cabernet, Beaujolais Villages or Chianti Classico.

Huguette's Quick Goulash

Set a pot of water to boil for noodles (I like elbow macaroni). Brown 1 lb. of ground beef (I prefer chuck) and drain fat. Set aside. Add 1 tbsp. of beef fat to to pan, then saute 1 medium chopped onion and 1 green pepper until tender. Add 1 minced clove of garlic, stirring until fragrant. Set aside with beef. Add salt and noodles to boiling water. Add red wine to pan to deglaze, then stir in 1 can of tomato soup, salt and pepper to taste, Tabasco sauce, 1 bay leaf, 1 oz. sweet paprika powder, and a bit of chicken boullion. Stir in beef and vegetables, and a heaping tbsp. of sour cream or Greek yoghurt if desired. Drain noodles, toss with a bit of butter or oil, then serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Posted by trailing wife 2016-01-03 16:12|| 2016-01-03 16:12|| Front Page Top

#2 I generally double the Hungarian goulash recipe when I make it, because it is a bit of work. Sometimes it lasts long enough for some portions to make their way into the freezer. I always triple my mother-in-law's version. If I really want some for the freezer, I double it again.

I therefore buy paprika powder in bulk. I used to get it from Penzeys, but I got tired of Bill Penzey filling my email in-box with his political screeds, and therefore switched to the [happily apolitical] original spice business his sister took over from their parents: The Spice House. Thus far I've been very pleased with their products and their prices.

Posted by trailing wife 2016-01-03 16:28|| 2016-01-03 16:28|| Front Page Top

#3 I love some Hungarian Goulash.

I too was a bit hesitant about charcuterie, but it does fill in a gap about the question about food preservation. The age old question, how to store food.

Posted by swksvolFF 2016-01-03 23:40|| 2016-01-03 23:40|| Front Page Top

23:40 swksvolFF
22:29 newc
22:19 newc
21:33 Skidmark
20:44 Frank G
20:09 JosephMendiola
20:09 Lone Ranger
20:08 anon1
19:59 Seeking a cure for ignorance
19:56 JosephMendiola
18:39 European Conservative
18:22 DarthVader
18:20 Iblis
18:18 Super Hose
18:15 Seeking a cure for ignorance
18:14 KBK
18:11 Super Hose
17:52 Thing From Snowy Mountain
17:51 Thing From Snowy Mountain
17:50 DarthVader
17:40 Shipman
17:38 Shipman
17:20 trailing wife
16:42 Frank G