When I was little we lived in Vienna, Austria where my parents owned a very large restaurant. The restaurant was only open for dinner, but there was always great activity among the staff. On occasion, my brother and I would accompany my parents in the early afternoon and spend some time at the restaurant. I still remember the coat lady, who was if memory serves me right from Hungary. She used to make the most beautiful needlework and introduced me once to a wonderful homemade Goulash soup. Since then I was hooked on this hardy, yet mildly spicy soup.
Image by LauraElaine via Flickr
Ingredients:
1/2 lbs chopped onions
1/4 lbs finely diced bacon
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 pinch marjoram
1 crushed clove of garlic
6 cups beef stock
1 lbs finely cubed soup meat
1 tsp salt
3 large peeled and diced tomatoes (substitute 1 can of tomatoes)
3 1/4 in sliced beef frankfurters
1 squeeze lemon juice
3/4 lbs peeled and diced potatoes
For thickening of soup (optional)
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup water
Directions:
1. Sauté chopped onions with diced bacon, until the onions are puffed and golden.
2. Add paprika, caraway seeds, marjoram and crushed garlic clove, and cook these for 1 minute, stirring. Paprika becomes bitter if it is cooked too long.
3. Add 6 cups of beef stock, soup meat, salt, tomatoes and simmer the soup for 20 min.
4. Add potatoes and more beef stock if necessary.
5. Continue to cook the soup until the meat and potatoes are soft.
6. If you prefer a thicker goulash add the flour and additional 3/4 cup water and stir the mixture into the soup.
7. Continue to cook the soup until it is thickened.
8. Add the beef frankfurters and lemon juice. Serve when frankfurters have cooked as well.
I like to serve goulash soup with fresh Baguettes and a salad. Enjoy!
