Goulash, Knödel, and Red Cabbage

Austrian Goulash

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds stew cut meat cut into bite-sized chunks

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon salt and pepper

• 2 large onions sliced thin

• Olive oil for searing

• 2 teaspoons Hungarian Hot Paprika

• 1 tablespoon mild paprika

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

• Zest small lemon

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 4 cups tomato sauce 

• 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock or water

• Kosher salt & pepper to taste

• Flour for searing meat

 

Directions

1.Combine flour, salt and pepper.

2.You will need a large Dutch oven with a lid for best results. Add just enough olive oil to coat the pan and turn the heat high enough to make the oil shimmer, but not smoke.

3.Pat the meat dry and dredge in flour, seasoned with kosher salt & cracked pepper.

4.Add one piece of meat to the hot oil to make sure that it sizzles. Add the remaining meat, without crowding the pan and sear for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. You want a golden crust that will give the gravy great flavor.

5.Cook the meat in batches, if necessary and set aside in a bowl– to collect the juice.

6.When all the meat is seared, turn the heat to medium and add a little more olive oil to the pan and cook the onion until tender– 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook till fragrant– 30 seconds or so.

7.Add the tomato paste and paprika, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

8.Add the tomato sauce, caraway seeds, lemon zest and chicken stock and stir well.

9.Add the seared met and bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes and taste for seasoning. Adjust as necessary. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a little more chicken stock or water until it is the consistency of a gravy. Simmer for 2 hours.

 

 

 

Bavarian Semmel Knoedel (Bread Dumplings)

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread or about 8 French-style rolls

• 2 eggs whisked

• 1 cup whole milk scalded

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 handful fresh parsley chopped

 

Directions

Note: You want to be sure that the bread is “stale” by at least one day.

1.Slice the bread into 1/4 inch thickness.

2.In a large bowl, add the bread slices, whisked egg, fresh parsley and kosher salt.

3.Scald the milk to be very hot, but not boiling. Pour that over the bread mixture, cover with a towel or lid and allow to soak for a few minutes.

4.When the milk has cooled to be a safe temperature for your hands, mix the bread mixture until clumped together. Don’t over mix, though! You want all of the ingredients to bind together. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more scalding milk.

5.With wet hands, form into six balls.

6.Chill for 15 to 30 minutes (or overnight).

7.In a pot of salted boiling water, cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

8.This makes a perfect side dish with a stew that has a rich gravy.

Note: For leftover dumplings, slice like cooked potatoes. Fry in some bacon and onion, until lightly browned and pour a whisked egg over. Delicious!

**When forming the balls, squeeze the wet bread mixture a bit to firm it up, and roll them together with a firm touch. It's sort of like making meatballs. By chilling this helps everything to binds together well.

 

 

Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, very thinly sliced

• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced

• 1 large Granny Smith or other semi-tart apple, peeled, cored and diced

• 1/4 cup salted butter 

• 2 tablespoons red currant jam, or cherry preserves (optional)

• 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 whole cloves

• 3 juniper berries

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

• 2 tablespoons water

 

 

Direction

1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the onions until just beginning to brown, 7-10 minutes.

2. Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Add more butter if needed.

3. Add the apple, broth, bay leaf, cloves, juniper berries, red currant jam, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

4. Add more broth if needed.

5. Combine the flour and water until dissolved and stir into the Rotkohl.

6. Simmer for another minute. Add more salt, sugar and vinegar to taste.