This is a classic winter warmer recipe, originating in Hungary and heavy on paprika it’s a delicious winter casserole that benefits from long, slow cooking and tastes even better next day. If making dumplings omit the potatoes, if using potatoes omit the dumplings. You could add both but it would be a little heavy on carbohydrates if you did. The dumplings are lighter as they don’t use suet and are more scone-like.
Ingredients: serves 6
2 tbsp sunflower oil
500g lean braising steak, cubed
2 large onions, chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
500ml beef stock
500g potatoes, peeled and diced (omit if making dumplings)
Ingredients for dumplings:
125g cold butter, diced
250g self raising flour
2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs
How to make goulash with herby dumplings… WASH YOUR HANDS
- Preheat the oven on to 170oc/gas 3.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan or heavy bottomed casserole, season the meat and brown the pieces, transfer to a plate.
- Fry the onions until golden, add the tomatoes, pepper and spices and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the meat and stir to thoroughly coat with the mixture. Transfer to a casserole if using a frying pan.
- Pour the beef stock into the frying pan to deglaze, then pour into the casserole. If not using a frying pan pour directly into the casserole. Put the lid on, bring to the boil and once boiling transfer to the oven for 1 hour.
With Potatoes
- After an hour add the potatoes to the goulash, bring back to the boil and cook in the oven for another hour, serve.
With Dumplings
- Cook the goulash for another hour (total 2 hours) and make the dumplings by rubbing in the butter to the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the herbs and season. Stir in 150ml water to form a dough. Flour your hands and shape the dough into around 12 balls, around the size of a golf ball. Remove the lid from the casserole and gently place the dumplings on top of the goulash around the edge of the pan
- Bake for 15-20 minutes uncovered until the dumplings are golden brown, serve immediately.