Hungarian Goulash

I used to make a recipe that I called "Hungarian Goulash" but it was really an adaptation. Tomatoes are apparently not authentic to the original version, and I'm not sure that bell peppers, potatoes and carrots are either. Anyhoo, this is my take on Joanne Weir's recipe for a more "authentic" goulash using caraway seed, and a generous amount of onions and Hungarian sweet paprika. Whether or not tomato is traditional, it's in this recipe and makes it super flavorful. Excellent served with buttered egg noodles on the side.

Ingredients:

3 yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp. toasted caraway seeds

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or 2 tsp. spicy Hungarian paprika)

6 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes

Kosher salt & black pepper

4 tbsp. flour

2 bay leaves

3 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

6-oz. can tomato paste

4-6 cups water

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sour Cream (optional)

Buttered egg noodles

1. Heat 3 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, caraway seeds, cayenne, and sweet paprika and stir to combine. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute; remove the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

2. Place the cubed beef into a bowl and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with Kosher salt and black pepper; toss with 4 tbsp. of flour until evenly coated.

3. In the same pot, add 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and heat over medium heat. Add the beef in a single layer (do not overcrowd - cook the beef in batches). Cook the beef, turning over with tongs, until all sides are nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes total; remove to a plate and continue in the same way with the remaining beef. 

4. Add the reserved beef from the first batch back to the pot; stir in the onion mixture, bay leaves 3 tsp. Kosher salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, tomato paste and 4-6 cups water (depending on how soupy you like it).

5. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is very tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. 

6. Serve the goulash in individual bowls over buttered egg noodles garnished with chopped fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream on the side, if desired