Slavonian-Style Shepherd’s Stew

From the Slavonia region of Croatia, čobanac is a meat-centric stew rich with paprika and thickened in part by shredded root vegetables that break down during a long, slow simmer. Though referred to as shepherd’s stew (čoban translates as shepherd), the dish traditionally is made with not only lamb but also beef, pork and wild game. To simplify, we opted to use only beef; chuck roast is our cut of choice for its meaty flavor, nice marbling and ample connective tissue that helps make a full-bodied broth. To achieve just the right amount of earthy flavor and an undercurrent of spicy heat, we use both sweet and hot paprika; if you aren’t able to find hot paprika, 2 teaspoons sweet paprika plus ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper is a fine substitution. Simple dumplings are a classic—and delicious—addition to this stew, but they are not essential. If you’d like to include them, see the recipe that follows; the dough is made and added to the pot at the end of cooking. If you skip the dumplings, mashed potatoes or warm, crusty bread are excellent accompaniments.