Hungarian Beef Goulash by Eating Well

Hungarian Beef Goulash

From EatingWell:  January/February 2008

 

This streamlined goulash skips the step of browning the beef, and instead coats it in a spice crust to give it a rich mahogany hue. This saucy dish is a natural served over whole-wheat egg noodles. Or, for something different, try prepared potato gnocchi or spaetzle.

See how to make this recipe

Makes: 8 servings, about 1 cup each
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 1/2-8 hours

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, (such as chuck), trimmed and cubed
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 1/2-2 tablespoons sweet or hot paprika, (or a mixture of the two), preferably Hungarian (see Ingredient Note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 

Preparation

1. Place beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Crush caraway seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the beef with the spice mixture and toss to coat well. Top with onion and bell pepper.
2. Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Place bay leaves on top. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high or 7 to 7 1/2 hours on low.
3. Discard the bay leaves; skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stew and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 4 months. | Prep ahead: Trim beef and coat with spice mixture. Prepare vegetables. Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Refrigerate in separate covered containers for up to 1 day.

• Ingredient Note: Paprika specifically labeled as “Hungarian” is worth seeking out for this dish because it delivers a fuller, richer flavor than regular or Spanish paprika. Find it at specialty-foods store or online at HungarianDeli.com and penzeys.com.

• For easy cleanup, try a slow-cooker liner. These heat-resistant, disposable liners fit neatly inside the insert and help prevent food from sticking to the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.

Nutrition

Per serving: 180 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 48 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 25 g protein; 1 g fiber; 250 mg sodium; 298 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (40% daily value), Vitamin C (35% dv), Vitamin A (25% dv), Iron (15% dv).
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat

Gyros for Heros.

Believe it or not we found a Gyro kit in the grocery store. It comes with pita bread, meat and Tzatziki sauce. Cool huh? Well the meat was seasoned nicely and there is nothing bad about a warm piece of pita bread. But the sauce, not the best. Next time I would make my own. So …
Here is a good recipe for tdziki sauce the next time we want gyros, and by the way the Greeks say “ero” like the G is silent.

Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) containers plain yogurt
• 2 cucumbers - peeled, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled

Directions

In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Process until well-combined. Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor.
To make the sandwich, take a warm pita, top with thin strips of beef, top with cooled sauce and shredded lettuce, grilled onion and tomatoes.

Lemon Roasted Potatoes

It's almost that time. Easter that is. Easter is a time of family and tradition. There are truly some amazing holiday traditions, especially with food. One is roast lamb, another is baked ham. What the have in common are great side dishes-like roasted potatoes. often said that the best potatoes are cooked right along with the meat so that they absorb the flavors which is wonderful, but a bit heavy tasting sometimes. I found this surfing for Easter recipes. The lemon brightens the flavor, without being too oily or heavy.

It's a great vegetarian dish too, if you substitute vegetable broth.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

5-6 potatoes, peeled and cut in to evenly sized wedges
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
Two lemons, juiced (plus more for serving)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Note: If you serving lamb or beef, try adding a teaspoon of dried rosemary to the mixture and that works very well.

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced potatoes and toss them with the remaining ingredients until they are well coated.

Lightly grease a non-reactive half sheet pan with olive oil. Place the coated potatoes in a single layer and drizzle them with any remaining marinade left in the bowl.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately one hour. Carefully turn the potatoes halfway through cooking to prevent them from sticking and to brown them evenly.

Re-season with salt and pepper and squeeze a bit more lemon juice (if desired) when they are fresh out of the oven.

Atkins Asian Beef Salad

Ingredients:


Marinade and Dressing Base:

4 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pushed through a press
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons no-sugar-added rice-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon granular sugar substitute
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon dried ginger


Salad:

1½ pounds beef sirloin, cut against the grain in 1/8-inch strips
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 cups mixed salad greens
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 can (8-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained


Directions:

1. Mix green onions, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and sugar substitute in a small bowl.

2. Pour half into a resealable plastic bag; add steak and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. To remaining soy sauce mixture, add curry powder and ginger.

3. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Drain beef and discard marinade; quickly stir-fry beef 2 to 3 minutes in hot oil for medium doneness.

4. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add salad greens, bell pepper, water chestnuts and reserved soy dressing. Toss to coat.

Zucchini Soup

This is always a hit in my house. it,s simple all the ingredients go in one pot, then blend in small batches. if you love zucchini, then this is a green creamy dream in a bowl. sorry could not  resist. just aside note, this version is not vegetarian.

5 large zucchinis sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion chopped
4 cups beef stock
3 cups water
5 oz. Cooked beef or pork cubed
1cup other assorted veggies, (carrots, bell pepper, onion, etc.)
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire   sauce
1/2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Teriyaki sauce
1/2 tablespoon Soy sauce
6oz Sour cream

In a large stock pot, pot add water, stock, meat and veggies, salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, until veggies are tender.
Blend in small batches until completely smooth.
Return to the pot. and sauces, and sour cream . Bring back to a low simmer. Serve

This is great meal. just serve with some crusty bread.