Destination Dishes : Goulash

I had never had goulash before traveling to Hungary and I instantly fell in love. Even though we visited in August, in the middle of Europe’s 2019 heatwave, I still enjoying tucking into a bowl of Goulash at every chance that I could get. Especially if it was paired with French fries and an IPA. Something about that soup, probably the caraway seeds, reminded me of childhood dinners, eating rye rolls from a fancy bread basket on vacation.

(To read more about our two weeks in Budapest, head to our post dedicated to this amazing city and also our Kid Approved: Budapest post.)

Throughout our year of travel, during long bus rides or while standing in lines, we often compiled lists of our favorite dishes on the road. Reminiscing about our favorite meals and the countries we enjoyed them in. No matter how many new destinations we visited, goulash held its spot in the top 5 dishes that we ate around the world. And it was one of the first recipes that we sought to recreate when we arrived back at home.

There are so many different versions of goulash. Some people prefer tiny pasta in theirs. Other prefer potatoes. The history of the dish is incredible, but I will spare you the lesson. We prefer the first version we enjoyed at the Baltazar Hotel, near Fisherman’s Bastion, with potatoes in it. Luckily, we easily found a replica of our favorite version of goulash from a surprising source, Jamie Oliver. Below you’ll find the recipe that we make often in our new home in Bend. Enjoy!

JAMIE OLIVER’S GOULASH SOUP

SERVES 4 TO 6 COOKS IN 3 HOURS 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cup onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 green pepper

2 tomatoes

a few sprigs of fresh marjoram

extra virgin olive oil

17 ounces beef shin, cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon paprika

50 ounces organic beef stock

½ tablespoon caraway seeds

red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato purée

0.5 pound of potatoes

sour cream, optional

METHOD

1. Peel and slice the onions, peel and crush the garlic, and deseed and dice the pepper. Finely chop the tomatoes. Pick and finely chop the marjoram.

2. Add a good splash of oil to a large pan and gently sauté the onions, garlic and pepper until softened.

3. Add the beef and continue to cook until the meat is browned and the vegetables are cooked.

4. Stir in the paprika and cook for 2 more minutes, then add 7 oz. of the beef stock. Bring to the boil and cook until reduced by half.

5. Add the marjoram, caraway seeds, a splash of vinegar, the tomatoes, the tomato purée and season well.

6. Add enough stock to cover and simmer until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 1½ to 2 hours.

7. Peel, dice and add the potatoes, plus any remaining stock and a little water if it’s looking too dry, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked.

8. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if you like.

This recipe was originally published on jamieoliver.com.

Is there a dish that you fell in love with on vacation that you now make back at home? Share it (and a link to the recipe if you have it!) in the comments.