Hungarian Goulash

Hungary’s national dish, goulash—or gulyás in Hungarian—has countless variations. Some are soupy; others thick and meaty. Our version takes inspiration from Tibor Rosenstein, chef/owner of Rosenstein restaurant in Budapest, whose unique method makes for a deeply flavorful stew. He incorporates the cooking liquid and spices in stages, allowing them to reduce between additions and concentrate into a complex, velvety sauce. Root vegetables are a must; their sweet notes balance all the beefy richness. We opted for celery root—also known as celeriac—which has a parsnip-like texture and earthy, celery-like flavor. As is the case with many Hungarian dishes, paprika—both hot and sweet—is a key seasoning; be sure the paprika you use for this is fresh, fragrant and vibrant in color. Hungarian red pepper paste, usually made with sweet and spicy peppers, plus acetic acid, also is essential. We approximate this by pureeing a few easy-to-source ingredients.