The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Everyone has their own unique way of expressing matters of the heart. For me, my love language has always been centered around the kitchen. Sharing recipes, cooking together, and serving special meals, are some of the ways that I communicate my feelings to loved ones. With that, there are certain homey recipes that are so comforting they feel like a hug. This dish of tender braised beef, spiced with a generous amount of sweet paprika, and served over small tender dumplings, is like a love letter in a stew pot.

Ingredients:

For the goulash:

3 tablespoons lard, or vegetable oil

3 yellow onions, finely chopped

¼ cup sweet paprika

2 teaspoons whole caraway seeds

2 teaspoons kosher salt, or 1 teaspoon fine salt

2 pounds beef chuck roast, 1-inch cubed

1 cup beef broth

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For the spaetzle:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 eggs

1 cup water

2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

For serving:

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Butter

Directions:

Heat the oven to 275 degrees. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the onions, allowing them to sizzle in the hot oil, and cook until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the edges begin to brown and caramelize, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the paprika and caraway seeds, incorporating fully into the onions. Add the beef, and continue to cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning the paprika. Cook for about 5 minutes, searing all sides of the meat, then add the beef broth and the vinegar. Bring liquid just to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Allow it to cook in the oven until the beef is very tender, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.

During the last half hour of the beef cooking, make the spaetzle. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, and the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour, then crack the eggs into the well. Starting in the center, begin beating the eggs, then gradually whisk into the flour. As you beat in the eggs, slowly pour in the water, and melted butter. Continue beating the batter until fully mixed and fine bubbles begin to form.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil, then season the water with salt. Working in batches, push the batter through a colander or spaetzle press into the boiling water. Spaetzle will float to the top and slightly puff when cooked through. Drain the spaetzle through a strainer, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.

When beef is tender, remove from the oven. Allow the goulash to rest for a few minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as needed. When ready to serve, melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet. Toss the cooked spaetzle in the butter and heat through. Season with a pinch of salt and toss in some chopped parsley. To serve, spoon a portion of spaetzle on a plate or shallow bowl, then top with a scoop of the goulash. Garnish with more parsley.

Notes:

Spaetzle is a rustic dumpling like pasta that is typical in southern Germany and central Europe. While you may be a kitchen gadget nerd like me and purchase a spaetzle press, there are other ways to make these little delights. If using a metal colander, scoop the batter into it and use a ladle or large spoon to push the batter through the holes. Swirl the batter around as you push it through so that you get irregular shapes. Another method is to push the batter through the largest holes of a box cheese grater.

This goulash could be made a day in advance and then reheated gently on the stovetop before serving. I served this hearty dish with a side of lovely green beans sautéed in butter and finished with a squeeze of lemon. A crisp chop salad would also make a lovely side. Enjoy!