Austrian Goulash Soup

The story in the cookbook says that this soup can be found along the autobahn, served at roadside stops. Not sure how authentic that little story is, but I can tell you this: the soup is worth that kind of tale.

It is killer - big chunks of beef and potato, lots of good veg, all in a thickened stew fragrant with sweet paprika and caraway. Not a delicate soup in the least - this is a robust, stick-to-your ribs kind of a soup. Perfect for a comfy lunch in the cold days of a Midwestern winter.

Austrian Goulash Soup

(from the "Yellow Bible", aka The Gourmet Cookbook, 2004)

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, chopped
3 lbs. boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 medium onions, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet; Penzey's has it)
1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. red-wine vinegar
1/4 c. tomato paste
5 c. beef broth
5 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 red bell peppers, chopped fine (I am cheap and used green bells)
4 large russet (baking) potatoes (Yukon Golds will work well, also)

In an 8-quart heavy kettle cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In fat remaining in kettle brown chuck in small batches over high heat, transferring it as browned with slotted spoon to bowl.

Reduce heat to moderate and add oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and tomato paste and cook, whisking, 1 minute. (Mixture will be very thick.) Stir in broth, water, salt, bell peppers, bacon, and chuck and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer soup, covered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add potatoes to soup and simmer, covered, occasionally until tender, about 30 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper. Soup may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Reheat soup, thinning with water if desired.