Doktor Dough

I’ll start by saying this recipe is a bit different from other Hungarian goulashes I’ve had. Like some other dishes, I think goulash is one of those things made by lots of people and in lots of different ways. And thus it falls perfectly into the “comfort food” heading. Let’s see how others define comfort food: Wikipedia is the easiest start (and goulash is there!) but I see that Merriam-Webster, the iconic American dictionary, added it in 1977 already as “food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal.” I think of comfort food as something that reminds you of home or childhood or another comfortable place or time and is generally satisfying in taste and satiety.

This particular recipe came from a potluck with an Eastern European theme held by, who else, my mom and her friends at the library. The party people. Did I mention that my mother is a great and adventuresome cook (despite the fact that I did not appreciate this much in my youth!)? Maybe I should pretend to get some of my recipes from elsewhere… Well, you would all like my mom. Shall we get her a blogger ID, too?

I’ll also add that I made my first batch using ground beef. It wasn’t until afterward that I realized it was supposed to be made with beef round. So the nickname it carries around here is “European chili.” Made it up myself.

Hungarian Goulash
2 pounds beef round (or ground beef, if you prefer!)
4 Tblspns olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
3/4 cup ketchup
3/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. vinegar
1 Tblspn brown sugar
2 1/2 tspn. paprika
1 – 2 tspn. salt
1 tspn dry mustard
dash of dried red pepper flakes, optional
Cut the beef round into 1 inch pieces. Brown it in the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Then add the onion and garlic and brown lightly. Mix together all the other ingredients (the ones not yet in the pot). Add the mix to the pot and stir in well. Add 3 cups water. Cover and simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Thicken at the end with 2 Tblspn. flour and 1/2 cup water shaken together in a jar until well- mixed. Alternatively, add a little less water upfront – but watch that it does not burn!

Enjoy over noodles. Serves about 4 to 6. Freezes well.