Goulash Soup

Goulash soup

Goulash, that most Hungarian of dishes, is really a type of soup, in contrast to its close relative to „pörkölt” (stew) which is a thick Paprika Stew. In both cases the meat is cut into small pieces, or cubes which are fried in lard with onions and paprika. A little water, wine or stock is added and it is braised with the lid on. Now comes the difference , because while only a little liquid is needed for the gravy of the stew, most of the water in which the peeled and cubed potatoes have been cooked is added to the goulash. The „pörkölt” or Paprika Stew is served on a meat dish, while goulash is put on the table in a soup tureen, and eaten with a spoon.

When talking about goulash one usually thinks of beef goulash. In wine growing districts mutton goulash is very popular, but this is always emphasized by the name mutton goulash.

Pork or veal is often added to the beef when making goulash, but pork tends to make it too fatty and therefore rich, while the flavour of veal is often lost in the cooking process. On the other hand, several cuts of beef are necessary to make a really good goulash. First of all, there is tenderloin, popularly known as roly-poly. It is a tasty full-bodied cut, but one would be much mistaken in thinking it would be sufficient on its own. Other flavours must be added: a little offal, a few pieces of the spleen, liver and parts that provide meat jelly, such as the hock or cheek, and some sinewy pieces as well, otherwise the result will be no better than a watery swill. All these must find their way into the pot hanging over the fire (or the saucepan on the cooker).

Nothing like the amount of onion is required as is generally, and unfortunately, supposed. It is not the onion that gives the flavour or thickens the soup, but the well selected meat and the excellent aromatic paprika from Szeged or Kalocsa (Paprika-growing centres in Hungary). Onion is merely a nuance in the multitude of flavours Too much onion will make it sweet, give it an unpleasant smell, and stimulate the gastric acids.

Fry the onion to golden brown, sprinkle on the paprika and when this is bubbling add the chopped meat. Braise it slightly, adding a little flour if desired. To make it especially delicious add a glass of good white wine (usually dry) season to taste, cover and braise till tender

Meanwhile cook the peeled and quartered potatoes in salted water. When they are almost cooked, add them to the meat, and enough of the water they cooked in, to make a good, thick soup. Cook for a little longer, and when both are tender, taste to see if any more salt or paprika are nedded. It can be then served. (Naturally only the choice pieces of meat are served. Do not add caraway seeds, as they spoil the touch, though they may be all right for Viennese „Gollasch”. There is no need for tomatoes, either (that is a fashion that filtered into southern Hungarian paprika dishes from the Serbs), but green peppers can happily be added. Tiny dumplings or pasta are better not cooked in the soup, but tossed in hot fatand served on a separate dish.

From Elek Magyar’ Cookbook (He was a member of the most famous Hungarian cook dynasties.

Note: instead of salt and some of the paprika you can use the goulash cream and the „Piros Arany” paprika cream, but count with their salt content!