It’s that time of year again when home cooks return to tried and true recipes that have lodged in family hearts for years. It’s also the time of year when folks find that those recipes have vanished. They’re either misfiled, or left on the photocopying machine never to be seen or heard from again. Judging by recent mail, many searches are afoot.
For instance, Gerry remembers reading recipes that call for a combination of dry ingredients layered into glass jars. The directions for mixing them with wet ingredients were written on a tag accompanying the jar. They were a great gift for kids to give teachers or as a stocking stuffer.
Linda is searching for the shrimp bisque recipe from NoNo’s Café. Until I can find out whether NoNo’s will part with it, anyone got a favorite?
Ralph, originally from the Delaware River Valley, where there is a substantial Italian-American community, is bemoaning the dearth of authentic Italian restaurants on the Western Slope. He’s searching for places that are good and affordable.
Suzan Ham in Pasadena, Texas, is trying to find the World Champion Chili Recipe from the 1957 cookoff in Killeen, Texas.
Meanwhile, the Hungarian goulash recipe David wants appears below – at least we hope it’s what he wants (he apparently missed the week the recipe ran, but in all fairness, it was for soup). We don’t have a recipe archive, and so the recipes last in our database for only a week or so.
Until next time, bon appetit.
Staff writer Ellen Sweets can be reached at 303-820-1284 or esweets@denverpost.com.
Hungarian Goulash
Adapted from the Food Network. It is important to use good-quality paprika. After about a year, paprika tends to lose its intensity. Serve with a cucumber salad (recipe below), made in advance.
Ingredients
2-3 strips bacon
2 onions, medium dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 garlic clove
Pinch caraway seeds
2 tablespoons good-quality sweet paprika
2 cups warm water
2 cubes beef bouillon
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 or 5 potatoes, cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream, plus more for plating
1 pound prepared spaetzle, as an accompaniment
Directions
In a cold, heavy 6 to 8-quart stewing pot, fry bacon over low-medium heat until fat is rendered, and then discard bacon slice.
Sauté onions in bacon fat for a few minutes, or until translucent. If bacon does not render enough fat, add a little olive oil to prevent onions from sticking. When onions are glossy, add beef, sautéing with the onions for about 10 minutes, covered, until the meat is browned.
Meanwhile, chop and crush the garlic with caraway seeds; add to meat and onions. Remove pot from heat. Using a wooden spoon, rapidly stir in paprika. Immediately after paprika is absorbed, add warm water. The water should just cover the meat, leaving room for potatoes.
Add beef bouillon cubes. Cover pot and cook over low heat for about 1 hour.
While stew is braising, prepare the tomatoes by cutting into 1-inch pieces. Core green peppers and cut into strips. After 1 hour of braising, add the tomatoes and green pepper. Add a little more water, if necessary, and a little more salt if you need it. Simmer slowly for another 30 minutes.
Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside in a bowl of water. Add potatoes, and cook another 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the goulash is done.
Once goulash is finished, mix sour cream and a little of the goulash sauce in a cup. Add to goulash, to give a creamy consistency. Serve goulash with spaetzle on the side, adding an extra dollop of sour cream to each plate. Serve with cucumber salad on the side.
Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
2 cucumbers, sliced thin
Seasoned salt
1/2 onion
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch dill, dried or fresh (optional)
Dollop sour cream (optional)
Directions
Place cucumbers in a flat dish and sprinkle throughout with salt, making sure that all slices are salted. Let rest for 30 minutes. The salt will draw moisture from the cucumbers. Slice onion into paper-thin slices. Use your hands to squeeze excess water from the cucumber slices and add to the onions. The cucumbers are supposed to be limp, but still crisp.
Combine vinegar, water, sugar and paprika to create a vinaigrette. Marinate cucumbers and onions, refrigerated, 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with a sprinkle of dill and a little dollop of sour cream if desired.
