If you want a winter warmer like stew, but with a hint of a kick, this dish is your new Hungarian best friend. It’s officially served with pasta or dumplings, but the first time I was in Budapest I was poor, hungry and cold and the potato-laden rustic version I was served still remains my favourite. Smoked paprika is available in Tesco for about 89c as their own-brand. And Passata, which is essentially a lazy way of avoiding having to blend tomatoes yourself, is very reasonable at about 69c per pack in Aldi. You must use a thick-based casserole dish – if you don’t, your entire house will smell like burning cow flesh for a day. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
- 1.5kg round steak (or a better cut if it’s on offer!) chopped into chunks
- 4 Large Carrots + 4 Large Potatoes + 3 Large Onions (all chopped into even chunks) + garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter + salt & pepper + 1 cup flour + parsley + smoked paprika
- 2 x 500ml tetrapak/jar passata + 1 cup water
- Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish, roll the steak in flour, and fire it in, browning all sides evenly.
- Remove using slotted spoon, fry onions and garlic until golden, then return beef to casserole dish, season well with all herbs and spices.
- Add passata and 1 cup water, put lid on and transfer to pre-heated oven.
- Cook for 1 hour 15 mins at 150 degrees, then open, add potatoes and carrots, and cook for another hour.
- Take out, rest, and serve with wholegrain bread to mop up juices. Voila!
Cheats:
Chorizo: Completely unorthodox, but I sometimes chuck in some diced chorizo sausage. €2 approx in Aldi & Tescos, adds that touch more spice and depth.
