Potato Goulash with Hungarian Paprika

This dish, which is Hungarian in origin, came to my mind recently when, tired of preparing all kinds of noodles, I was thinking about some new dishes that would incorporate more vegetables to my kids' diet. This potato dish, a vegetarian variety of the traditional goulash, was often prepared in my home years ago when not many vegetables were available during long Polish winters. In better times some kind of sausage or even bacon was added to enhance the taste. But I always liked the most simple, vegetarian version of it, served with delicate green lettuce.

A Hungarian friend I met In Switzerland told me that in her house this goulash was served with sour cream. Ever since I tried it I also add a spoon of sour cream on top. It complements nicely the strong, almost smokey, as my son noticed, "barbecued" taste of the potatoes coming from the paprika and tomato paste. Also, simple Boston lettuce salad, served plain, without any dressing just with a drop of lemon, makes a nice finish to this easy and aromatic winter dish.

Potato Goulash
(Serves four)

Ingredients:
2 lb of white potatoes (about 6-8 medium potatoes), peeled off and cut into small cubes,
1 large onion, chopped,
2 tbsp tomato paste,
2 cups vegetable broth (or water),
1-2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika,
1 tsp caraway seeds,
1 tsp salt,
freshly ground pepper,
6 tbsp sour cream,
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley,
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil.

Preparation:
1. In a medium heavy-duty pot heat oil until hot. Add onion and fry on medium heat until transparent, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add potato cubes to the onion, mix and cook, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes.
3. Fold in tomato paste, paprika, caraway seeds, salt, black pepper, and mix until potatoes are well coated.

4. Pour in the vegetable broth or water, enough to cover the dish. Let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes, depending on the type of potatoes. You may add extra liquid if potatoes are still hard. At the end. most of the liquid should evaporate and turn into a thick sauce. Potatoes should be soft but not mushy.
5. Divide the goulash between plates and serve with a tbsp of sour cream and chopped parsley on top.

Cod in Paprika Sauce--From Hungary

During vacation I browsed through my very old recipe book, which I still keep in Poland (it always seems too heavy to bring it to the US) and discovered some old and often never tried recipes.

Many very interesting ones came from abroad, mostly our neighbouring countries, simply because they were easy to adapt, as our neighbors, like us, had limited food resources at that time. In particular, recipes from the Hungarian cuisine always caught my attention. I have already posted a recipe for Hungarian goulash, and today I would like to share a Hungarian recipe for cod.

Cod used to be a rather ordinary fish in Poland, almost always available, mostly frozen rather than fresh though. We used to serve it fried in breadcrumbs. Nowadays, when fish are more popular than ever, especially among vegetarians and those who favor a healthy diet, cod undergoes its renaissance. Deservedly so, as it is very rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin B12 and B6 and, which is very important to me, has almost no fishy aroma. I also think that, besides the healthy qualities of the cod,
the combination of red paprika and sour cream sauce make this dish very attractive.

Cod in Paprika Sauce
(Serves four)

Ingredients:
1 lb of cod fillets,
1 large onion,
1 cup of white wine,
1 cup sour cream,
2 tbsp butter,
1 tsp of paprika (preferably Hungarian),
1 tbsp, all purpose flour,
sea salt,
freshly ground black pepper.

Preparation:
1. Cut cod in smaller pieces to make four portions. Season it generously with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
2. Peel off onion, cut in half and then in thin, half-moon slices.
3. Melt butter in a medium frying pan with higher walls. Add onion and fry until onion becomes very transparent. Add flour, mix, and let it cook together stirring constantly until flour becomes gold.
4. Pour in wine and let it boil for a minute. Add sour cream and paprika. Mix well, bring to boil and add cod fillets to the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes. Uncover and let it cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Serve with cooked baby potatoes or whole grain rice.

Hearty Goulash--the Hungarian Eintopf

In the north of Poland where I come from, and which was under German influence for many years and boasts to be the homeland of Nicolaus Copernicus and Immanuel Kant, this type of dish was called Eintopf (one pot dish)--a very heavy soup or rather a soupy dish, and was often served on Mondays.

In the English speaking countries people call it a stew, which rightly or wrongly I associate with something unattractive from the culinary standpoint. Another well-known variety of the same idea is the Hungarian goulash--which is a heavy soup or rather a whole very nutritious meal made in one pot, which because if its consistency often poses a dilemma as to whether to eat it with a spoon or a fork.

But, under these different names, this is really all about convenience and comfort. It is something easy to make, when you mix all the ingredients and after cooking them together, you have a very satisfying meal, which you can serve with wine or beer. It is a great idea to prepare this almost no hassle dish for a big gathering, especially on a cold evening. It is so easy that it can be an every day dinner or a life saving dinner idea when unexpected guests arrive.

There are many one pot dishes in Polish culinary repertoire, as during the economically difficult times, we often had to cook up something out of nothing. By adding potatoes and different vegetables, a small portion of meat was expanded into a meal that could feed the entire family.

As the season for local vegetables still goes on, I had an idea to make a Hungarian goulash, which thanks to the colorful vegetables and dried paprika content, is one of the most attractive looking Eintopfs. Although, as the name indicates, it is a Hungarian dish, it has been so deeply-rooted in Polish cuisine, probably since the times when Hungarian kings ruled in Poland and Polish kings ruled in Hungary, that we really consider it being Hungarian only by name.

I know several dishes based on that idea, including one that is probably utterly Polish invention, as it is based on Polish sausage, although it is made with a lot of Hungarian paprika as well. I would say Hungarian paprika is a key ingredient in every goulash and its color and taste make a huge difference in this particular dish. Therefore, it is worth purchasing the original Hungarian paprika, which is now available in the international food section of many stores in America.

To make it a one pot dish I added a potato to the goulash, as it is done in Hungary. Good tomatoes are also important, although Austrians make goulash without tomatoes and in the Polish version we often make it without potatoes, but we add dried porcini for example and serve it with different kinds of noodles or buckwheat.

Next time, if you have no idea what to cook for dinner, maybe you get some paprika and try goulash.

Hungarian Goulash
(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:
2 lb beef of good quality, cut into cubes.
2 onions cut into half slices,
4 garlic cloves, crushed,
2 green peppers (sweet Cuban peppers are a good substitute for the original Hungarian pepper, which have very characteristic strong flavor), cut into thick half slices,
2 large tomatoes, cut into medium-sized quarters,
2 lb baby potatoes or regular potatoes cut into cubes,
2 bay leaves,
1 tbsp Hungarian paprika,
1 tbsp caraway seeds,
3 tbsp lard or oil,
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp pepper.

Preparation:
1. In a large pot with a thick bottom, preferably cast iron (like Le Creuset) heat the lard or oil.
2. Add onion and fry until gold.
3. Take a pot off the heat to add paprika (it is important not to burn paprika, as it will become bitter) and meat and combine them until the meat becomes all covered with pepper. Let it simmer on low heat until the meat is slightly brown.
4. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and garlic.
5. Cover with water and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes.
6. Add pepper, tomatoes, and potatoes. Add extra water if needed to cover everything, and let it cook for another 30 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are soft.

I like to garnish it with chopped parsley (a very Polish tradition), and in the Hungarian tradition you may add a dollop of sour cream on top of the portion, just before serving. Goulash can be served with white bread, which can be used to scoop up all the delicious sauce at the end.