Tag: cup tomato paste

Beef Goulash! Thick Hungarian Soup, Thin Austrian Stew, or None of the Above?

I’m not sure how authentic this goulash recipe is,
since the recipe I use is adapted from one by Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck.
Austria is Hungary-adjacent, and I’m pretty sure they were the same country once, but still, the Puckmeister’s version, further modified by me, is
closer to a stew called “Pörkölt.” Apparently true goulash, or Gulyás, is much more like a soup, and is served with dumplings.

Okay, two things. First, when it comes to a main course, I
like stew more than soup. If you want to stay truer to the original, add more
liquid. That’s not going to bother me, or Wolfgang. Also, since I operate in a
universe ruled by Google, I went with “goulash” since it’s a thousand times
more recognizable than pörkölt. When’s the last time you heard someone say they
were craving a big bowl of pörkölt?

Of course, none of this helps my American viewers who,
thanks to the cafeteria ladies from our childhoods, think “goulash” is a tomato,
hamburger, and elbow macaroni casserole. I’m assuming that variation was born
when some Hungarian (or Austrian?) immigrant tried to stretch the last few
ladles of soup/stew into another full meal.

Anyway, now that we’ve cleared up absolutely nothing, I can
talk about this gorgeous dish of food. I adore everything about this dish. The
color is stunning, the beef is sticky and succulent, and paprika-based sauce is
incredible.

By the way, I’ve heard from my people on YouTube that this is never served on noodles. How do you say, “whatever”
in Hungarian? Despite our questionable naming, ingredients, and side dish, this
made for a fantastic winter dinner, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions of beef goulash:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes,
seasoned generously with salt and pepper

2 onions, chopped

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and ground

2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 tsp dried marjoram leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

4 cups chicken broth (1 to deglaze pan, 3 more added to
stew)
*Note: real goulash is more like a soup, so if you want yours thinner, just add 2 or 3 extra cups of broth.

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

*Simmer for about 2 hours, or until tender

Garnish with sour cream and fresh marjoram if desired.

Classic Lobster Bisque – Finally!

I usually don’t have a good answer for why I’ve not gotten
around to filming certain iconic dishes like risotto, beef Wellington, and puff
pastry; but when it comes to lobster bisque, I do have a great excuse.

I won’t bore you with the details of how the tradition
started (translation: I don’t remember), but for as long as I can remember,
I’ve always made lobster bisque on Christmas Eve, to celebrate my sister-in-law
Jennifer’s birthday.

And since the few days leading up to Christmas are always so
busy and hectic with shopping, cooking, and travel, I’ve just never felt like
I’ve had the time to set up the camera to properly film the procedure. Well,
this year I decided to give it a go, and despite all the aforementioned
challenges, I was very happy with how this came out.

One word of warning: this recipe requires live lobsters,
brandy, and heavy cream. If you can’t get, or don’t want to use those
ingredients, then you’ll have to make something else. Sorry, but this recipe is
too sacred for substitutions.

Speaking of live lobsters, I know many are skeptical that
these “bugs” can actually feel pain, but to play it safe, I recommend putting
them in the freezer for 20 or 30 minutes to knock them out cold before their
ultimate demise.

I only showed the cracking and the picking of the lobster meat
very briefly, as this video was already too long for my tastes, but below I’ll
link an additional tutorial that show this in more detail. Yes, this soup takes
a little bit of work and expense, but I think you’ll agree with me (and
Jennifer) that all the effort is well worth it. Enjoy!

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts:
2 live lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
1 onion, chopped
2 rib celery, chopped
3 quarts cold water (this will reduce by about half during
the entire cooking process)
3 cloves garlic
4 springs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp paprika
1/3 cup white long grain rice
2 tbsp cheap brandy (inexpensive brandy tends to be a little
sweeter, and works well here)
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more if you like it creamier
salt and cayenne to taste
1 tbsp chopped tarragon to garnish

Bonus Lobster Meat Recovery Video:
This video shows the picking of the lobster meat in much
more detail than I did. Since they are boiling the lobster, you can just skip
to the part where he is liberating all the meat. For more general lobster info,
you can also check out this page on Allrecipes.

That Other Meat Sauce

We did a classic Italian bolognese sauce not too long ago, which reminded me that I’ve actually never posted a basic, Italian-American meat sauce. This sauce goes by many names, including Sunday sauce, since that’s the day it’s traditionally made, but for me growing up, this was just called “sauce.”

This is one of those primal recipes that always follows the same procedure, yet almost never contains exactly the same ingredients. I was raised on a blend of beef, pork, and chicken, but any and all leftover proteins can, and must, be added to the pot.

Meatballs are a great choice; as are things like pigs feet, neck bones, and other similar cuts. The tougher the meat, the better it’s going to be in this sauce. Besides playing meat roulette, I’ll also switch different herbs like basil in and out, as well as include the occasional season vegetable.

You can also vary your results here with different tomato products. I went old-school and hand-crushed whole plums, but you can also use crushed or pureed tomatoes as well. The finer and smoother the tomatoes are processed, the thicker your sauce will be, so keep that in mind. Speaking of tomatoes; yes, it is much better to caramelize the tomato paste with the onions before you add the San Marzanos, but I didn’t because Grandma didn’t, and also, I forgot.

As long as you cook the meat long enough, and season thoughtfully, there’s really no way this sauce isn’t going to be great. So, while you may not have grown up in an Italian-American home, with this comforting sauce simmering on the stove every Sunday, your family still can. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 beef shank

2 pounds pork ribs

2 bone-in chicken thighs

1 diced onion

6 cloves garlic

3 (28-oz) cans San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed or blended smooth
(Note – any canned tomato product will work. Try with pureed or already crushed tomatoes and save a step)

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cups water, more as needed

2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano