Traditional Czech Goulash Soup Recipe
Soup occupies an essential position in Czech cuisine, and hence is very often very substantial. Thick soups are still very popular particularly at lunchtime. Characteristic of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia are soups with a sizeable quantity of meat, such as stripe soup, goulash soup, bean or cabbage soup, with smoke sausage, which are often eaten even as a mid-morning snack. In previous times, the peasantry would even have soup for breakfast. All soups should be served pipping hot.
This traditional Czech goulash soup is great all year round, but is great especially at this time of the year, when it makes an ideal winter warmer comfort food.
Ingredients:
40g lard
60g white flour
800ml meat stock or boullion
Ground paprika
Garlic
Marjoram
80g onions
200g beef (neck or shoulder)
400ml basic beef stock
300g potatoes
Caraway seeds
Salt
Method:
1) From the lard and flour, mix a browning, add a touch of paprika and stirring continuosly, fry until it reaches a light-red colour.
2) Pour in the stock at room temperature, and whip with a whisk
3) Add crushed garlic and after 45 minutes strain through a thick strainer
4) Chop the beef finely and add it to the finely chopped onion, fried in lard until golden-brown
5) Briefly fry the meat and onions together, dust with paprika, fry again, douse with the beef stock, add a pinch of salt and leave to simmer
6) When the meat is starting to soften, add the potatoes (peeled and diced), a bit of caraway seeds and salt. If necessary, add more beef stock
7) Let the meat and potatoes stew until only slightly soft (do not let the potatoes get mushy)
8) Then add the liquid drained from the meat and potatoes to the strained soup, add a touch of marjoam and salt to taste, and briefly bring to a boil
9) Before serving, add to he soup cooked meat and potatoes
Serve with white rolls or a slice of dark bread. Enjoy!