How to make it: Szabina Szulló and Tamás Széll’s goulash recipe
Two chefs’ take on goulash, the classic Hungarian stew of meat and vegetables, served at their two Budapest restaurants, Stand and Stand25
Serves: 10
Takes: 3.5-5 hrs
Ingredients
1kg beef neck or shank
8-9 tbsp pork fat
350g brown onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
30g tomatoes, finely diced
¼ Hungarian hot wax pepper, finely chopped
½-1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp tomato purée
½ tbsp ground paprika
1 tsp ground hot paprika
1 tbsp ground smoked paprika
2.5 litres beef stock
300g baking potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm wedges
300g carrots, peeled and chopped into 2cm slices
Handful Hungarian pinched noodles (recipe online)
For the crunchy greens
½ celery stalk and its leaves, finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
¼ preserved lemon, chopped
¼ Hungarian hot wax pepper, finely chopped
3 pickled caper berries, finely chopped
Method
1 Keeping the beef in one piece, cook on a barbecue, or under a grill on high for 1-1.5 hrs, turning the meat regularly until browned on all sides. Rest it until needed.
2 While the beef cooks, add 3-5 tbsp pork fat to a large saucepan and place over a low heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomato and hot wax pepper, and cook slowly for 15-20 mins, until the onion is golden brown.
3 Pour 500ml stock over the onion mix. Reduce until the liquid has completely evaporated and begins to sizzle again; repeat a few times, topping up with a little beef stock each time, until the onion is soft and caramelised. This should take 1-1.5 hrs, with plenty of stock left over.
4 Place a dry frying pan over a medium heat and lightly toast the caraway seeds for a few minutes. Take off the heat, cool, then grind using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
5 When the beef is done, chop into 2cm cubes. Add to the onion mix along with the tomato purée. Sizzle over a high heat until the meat releases thick juices. Season with the ground caraway and a good pinch of salt.
6 When all the liquid has evaporated, add all the paprika followed by enough stock to reach your desired soup consistency. Cook on a high heat for 2-3 hrs, replenishing any evaporated water throughout. Salt to taste.
7 Towards the end, when the meat is almost tender, split the remaining pork fat between two frying pans and place over a medium heat. Sear the potatoes in one and the carrots in the other for 6-7 mins, until golden.
8 Add the seared veg to the simmering goulash and continue to cook for no more than 10 mins, until everything is tender.
9 In a bowl, combine the crunchy greens ingredients. Serve the goulash piping hot, topped with a sprinkling of Hungarian pinched noodles and your crunchy greens.
Read our piece about goulash here
Published in the Hungary, a culinary journey supplement distributed with National Geographic Traveller (UK)
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