Stew and Goulash: Cold Weather Food

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 Over a year ago, I was walking through our local Kmart and found a big display of Martha Stewart items that were being discontinued.  Amongst all of the boxes of kitchen and tableware, were 4 quart enamel coated cast iron Dutch ovens.  For $19.99!!  I picked one up for my mom, but not for me.  Then, earlier this year, I used a CSN Stores gift certificate that I had won and got myself a 4 quart Kitchen-Aid Dutch oven.  On Cyber Monday, a few weeks ago, I found a special on Walmart.com: a 6.5 quart enamel coated Tramontina Dutch oven for $33!    Though none of them are the famous LeCrueset, they are all high quality and work wonderfully for making stews, roasts and goulash.  We have eaten many a wonderful meal made in these pots.

I have two recipes to share with you today.  The first, Viennese Goulash, was given to my family from an actual Austrian family.  This dish had been in their family for generations and believe me, it is delicious.  As strange as it sounds to use as many onions as it calls for, the onions will "melt" down to nothing but a thick sauce by the time the cook time is over.  Even die-hard onion haters will love it.  Trust me.

The second dish was created because I had some green peppers that needed to be used or tossed and you know how I hate to toss anything.  I just started throwing things in the pot and then just put it in the oven for a couple of hours.  None of us could even tell that there were peppers in the gravy....they dissolved, just like the onions in the first recipe.  It's a nice thing to know that these Dutch ovens can camouflage all sorts of strong vegetables that my kids often say they don't like.

Onions (the same amount as meat - volume for volume- this makes the sauce)

2-4 Tbls Hungarian sweet paprika (sufficient amount to give a rich color to the cooked onions)

Lean Beef (plan on 1/2 pound per person), cut into cubes

1/4 cup butter

2-3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp crushed caraway seeds (if you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can crush them with a meat mallot or hammer, use a crushing motion against the counter)

noodles (homemade is best, but use what is easiest)

salt and pepper to taste

In the Dutch oven, saute the onions in the butter until clear, NOT brown. Add the paprika. Watch carefully after adding the paprika as it will burn very easily. Add the beef and brown on all sides. (Browning the meat can be done in a separate pan if you are worried about burning the onion). Add 1 cup of water, the bay leaves and crushed caraway seeds. Cover and put into the oven at 250 degrees for 6 hours. Check it every two hours to make sure that it doesn't stick and still has liquid.  Add more water if necessary.

Green Pepper Beef Stew:

1 cup chopped onion

2 large green peppers, diced

2-3 pound boneless beef roast

1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

handful baby carrots

2 bay leaves

½ cup red wine

3 cups water

1 quart of beef gravy (I had some in the freezer, though you could easily use beef broth thickened with flour or a mix)

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Cut the roast into big chunks and brown them on at least two sides. You will have to do this in stages and it may take more oil. Remove all of the meat from the pot and set aside. Saute the onions, peppers and garlic until soft. Add the meat, carrots, bay leaves, red wine and water to the pot. Remove from the stove, cover and put in a 325 degree oven for 2-3 hours. Add the gravy, mix well, and let sit for 15-20 minutes (the cast iron keeps its heat for a long time, so the gravy will heat through and everything will still be hot after the rest). Serve over noodles, rice or potato chunks.

I also used my Dutch oven to make Drick's Hearty Creole Grillades.  It was the perfect pot to cook that amazing dish in.  If you haven't visited Drick's Rambling Cafe, head on over, you won't be disappointed!!

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