Hearty Beef Goulash

Goulash is a traditional Hungarian dish with hundreds of varieties and recipes. The name originates from the name of the cattle-herders in Hungary, and evolved to become the name of the meat dish that the cattle-herders made. Sometimes it is made as a soup, and sometimes more as a stew. This is my interpretation of the dish, made with store cupboard ingredients, and it makes an easy, economical and hearty dish. It can be served with potatoes or rice, and is ideal for making in a slow cooker during the day, or making at the weekend and freezing in batches to take to work for individual lunches. 

The dish is wide open to substitutions and additions to use up what you have, you may consider switching the cannellini beans for kidney beans, or adding new potatoes or carrots, feel free to have some fun with this one!

Ingredients

1 Onion

500 grams Casserole Steak, diced

1 teaspoon Paprika

400 ml Beef Stock

400 grams (1 tin) Chopped Tomatoes

1 Red Pepper

1 Green Pepper

400 grams (1 tin) Cannellini Beans

3 teaspoons Cornflour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Take a large heavy bottomed saucepan, and heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Roughly chop the onion, and add to the pan. (You can test that the oil is hot enough by dropping a piece of the onion into the pan - if it sizzles on contact, it is ready to use) 

Once the onions have softened and turned clear, add the beef to the pan. Fry for 2 - 3 minutes until the meat browns, then add the paprika and stir until the meat is well coated. 

De-seed and chop the red and green peppers and add to the pan. Add the beef stock and the tomatoes, and stir well. Cover the pan with a lid, and leave to simmer for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Alternatively at this point transfer the mixture to a slow cooker, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours.

When the meat has tenderised, drain the can of cannellini beans and add. Mix the cornflour with a few teaspoons of water to make a paste. Add the cornflour mixture to the pan, and stir thoroughly to thicken the goulash. Season to taste. Cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes to allow the cannellini beans to cook, then serve with potatoes or rice, or simply in a large bowl with hunks of crusty buttered bread.

I am entering this into Credit Crunch Munch run by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla at Fab Food 4 All, as it is a brilliant dish for using up leftovers, making the most of cheaper cuts of beef, and great for freezing or portioning for lunches. Helen has asked for substitutions this month, and although there aren't any in my recipe, the dish itself is great for adapting and substituting depending on what is in the house.