Real Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Hungarian goulash was one of my mother's recipes, but since she made it so often, she never wrote it down. When I looked for a recipe for Hungarian goulash that was as much like my mother's recipe as possible, I wanted to find a good authentic Hungarian goulash soup recipe.

I've made a few changes to the authentic Hungarian goulash soup recipe to make it more nutritious, including substituting homemade broth for the salted potato water that is called for in the recipe, and replacing lard with butter or organic margarine.

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HUNGARIAN GOULASH RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 pounds of boneless beef shank meat, trim off the white parts and cut into 2-inch cubes (should make 1 pound of cubed meat)

1 medium white onion, diced very small

3-4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon organic margarine or butter

2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet red paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

Prep time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking time: About 1.5 hours

Have ready:
2 quarts prepared vegetable or meat soup stock to boil potatoes in
Salt (add to soup stock to taste)

To save time or if you don't have homemade broth, you may substitute boxed or canned broth.

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Recommended with this Recipe: Gluten-Free Hungarian Egg Dumplings

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Lay the beef shank flat on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut horizontally (with the grain) through the meat. This should give you a nice flat piece of meat. Be sure to trim the boneless beef shank well to remove all tendon and casings. Discard the white parts. Now, cut the flat piece of beef shank longways into about 2-inch wide slices, and then finally, cut ACROSS the grain into cubes. Set aside.

Next, dice one medium onion into small pieces (about 1/2 inch). Add the olive oil and margarine OR butter and melt on low heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add onions and stir continuously until they become clear and golden in color.

Stir in the paprika, and then immediately add the beef cubes and continue stirring as you allow the beef to brown along with the onions and paprika. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid.

Important! Resist the temptation to add liquid while the beef is cooking. If the beef seems to be sticking to the pot, stir in a tablespoon of broth occasionally throughout the cooking cycle. A rich brown soup base will be formed from the meat juices, onions, and paprika if you follow these instructions.

After the beef has been cooking for about 1 hour, start heating the soup stock. Add the quartered and peeled potatoes and boil until slightly soft. When the potatoes are cooked, remove them to a separate bowl and pour the liquid from the potatoes into the meat mixture. 

I chose to add just three-fourths of the broth to the goulash and reserved the rest to boil the dumplings in. The soup may seem thin, but if you add dumplings, it will be very thick, especially the next day when reheated.

Add the potatoes into the soup and heat a little longer. 

Lastly, add the boiled egg dumplings and serve with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl. Do not add sour cream to the pot.

Easy Brown Rice Mushroom Recipe (Hungarian Gombas Rizs)

This easy mushroom rice recipe is adapted from a traditional Hungarian recipe. Instead of white rice, I substitute long grain brown rice and use canned mushrooms instead of fresh, which makes this recipe for mushroom rice really fast and easy. 

Mushrooms with rice is traditionally used as a garnish or side dish for roast meats or veal cutlets. Easy Brown Rice Mushroom Recipe is perfect as a one-course meal; it's filling and doesn't need any accompaniment. It can be adapted as a vegetarian dish by substituting olive oil for the butter and using vegetable broth.

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INGREDIENTS: 
2 cups long-grain brown rice 

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 finely chopped onion (optional) 

Salt (Use less if you are using a salted broth)

Freshly ground black pepper

3 cups cold chicken or vegetable broth (use boxed or canned broth if homemade broth is not available)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 small cans sliced white mushrooms with liquid

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Do not wash the rice! In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and fry the rice for a few minutes. At this point, you can add the chopped onions. Stir well but do not let the rice get too browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the rice the 3 cups of cold broth. Cover with lid and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and let the rice simmer for 10-12 minutes. 

At this point, uncover the pot and stir in the sliced mushrooms and the liquid from the cans. Allow to simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until the rice is no longer hard and the liquid has been absorbed. Add the chopped parsley and stir again. Serves 6.

Place the rice into a microwave-safe serving dish to make reheating easy.  Keep leftover rice refrigerated. Tastes great the next day, too!

Serves 8-10
Prep Time: About 30 minutes

Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Meringue Pie

Easy Gluten Free Lemon Meringue Pie is my adaptation of my mother's perfect lemon meringue pie recipe. Using a dairy-free lemon meringue recipe and substituting gluten-free flour in the filling, I also used a frozen 9-inch gluten-free crust, and made this lemon meringue pie recipe using fresh lemons. 


Allergy note: This lemon meringue pie recipe uses eggs but no milk. Gluten free crust may contain milk.

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GLUTEN-FREE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

INGREDIENTS: 

Filling:

1-1/4 white granulated sugar

2 tablespoons gluten-free flour

3-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups water

2-3 medium-sized lemons, zested and the juice reserved

1 tsp vanilla extract(optional)

2 tablespoons butter

4 egg yolks, beaten 


Crust:
One 9-inch gluten-free frozen pie crust, baked*

*If gluten free pie crust shells are not available in your area, you can use a gluten-free pie crust mix instead. Prepare according to package directions.


Meringue: 
4 egg whites

6 tablespoons white granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

The Best Way to Separate Egg Yolks 

My mother was very specific in how to separate egg yolks and egg whites. She told me to have two CLEAN bowls ready ahead of time and to use a different clean dry whisk or egg beater for each. This video shows a method of separating egg whites from yolks.

VIDEO: How to Separate Egg Whites from Yolks

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INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pie Crust:
Unwrap one 9-inch frozen gluten-free pie crust or pastry shell and place it into the preheated oven. As the pie crust begins to soften, use a fork to poke holes into the bottom and sides of the crust so it doesn't bubble up. Continue baking 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Lemon Filling: 

Using a medium saucepan, first add the dry ingredients: sugar, gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together well and then gradually stir in the water, vanilla (if used), lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat and continue to stir well until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in the butter.

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How I Make Grated Lemon Zest

How Do You Zest a Lemon?

You might be wondering what is lemon zest? The "zest" is what you get when you grate a lemon rind. I use a firm fresh lemon and just grate the yellow part all around the lemon. Don't shave the white part or it gives a bitter taste. You can use a special lemon zester but I use the tiniest part of my metal food grater to make lemon zest.

I use a clean stiff brush to dust the zest from the grater into a bowl. 

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To the egg yolks in a small bowl, add a small amount of the hot sugar mixture from the saucepan. Immediately add the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and stir or whisk continuously as you bring the mixture to a boil. Continue stirring until the mixture is thick. Because gluten-free flour is used, the mixture may take a little longer to thicken. Remove saucepan from heat.

Use a spatula to help pour the lemon filling into the baked gluten-free pie crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Meringue:

In a medium to large glass or Pyrex bowl with steep sides, whip the egg whites until they are foamy and beginning to stand up in peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time, until the egg white mixture stands up in stiff peaks that only droop a little at their tops. If you wish to add vanilla extract, add it now and whip lightly into the mixture.

Spoon the egg white mixture over the cooled lemon filling in the pie shell. Use a spatula to spread the meringue over the entire filling and onto the edges of the pie crust. The meringue will be very high but will become lower as the pie bakes. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the peaks and edges of the meringue are golden brown. 

Cool on a rack or refrigerate.

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Best lemon meringue pie I have ever made!  

I prepared this to take along to visit family who live on a mountain road. Despite all the twisting and turning on the way, the lemon meringue stayed ON TOP OF THE PIE and did not slide or shrink. That's never happened when I made other lemon meringue pie recipes, and it was a big hit with everyone!

German Pfeffernusse Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free)

My mother did not write down any recipes for pfeffernusse cookies for me, but she did bake them a time or two. This gluten-free pfeffernusse recipe is my adaptation of a traditional pfeffernusse recipe. 

In German, pfeffernusse means "pepper nuts," even though my husband refers to them as "frosted reindeer droppings"! Either way, they are super yummy.

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Although I substitute gluten-free flour in this pfeffernussen recipe, ground spices may contain traces of gluten. McCormick brand spices are reportedly gluten free, but read the labels and do your own research if you must avoid gluten in your diet. Gluten-free suggestions are provided in the links. Despite the name, no nuts are used in this recipe. I have substituted butter for the margarine-shortening mixture in an authentic pfeffernusse recipe that would have been prepared in the 1950s.

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GERMAN PFEFFERNUSSE COOKIES

Ingredients

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup honey

4 oz (one stick) butter

2 eggs

4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill is my favorite)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom 

1 teaspoon allspice* 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or grated nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 

2 teaspoons anise extract*

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ground ginger 

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioner's powdered sugar (to dust pfeffernussen after they are done)

I like the flavor that allspice imparts to this traditional Christmas cookie pfeffernusse recipe, but if you don't have allspice, you may double the nutmeg and ground cloves to 1 teaspoon each to make up the difference.

*Anise extract is a lightly licorice-flavored essence. Don't skip or substitute for anise extract or the recipe will not turn out right.

Have ready:

Two (nonstick or aluminum) cookie sheets, and nonstick parchment baking paper cut to size of cookie sheets

My daughter and me making German Pfeffernusse aka "Reindeer Droppings"

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together molasses, honey, butter over medium heat. Cook and continue stirring until butter is melted and the mixture is creamy. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Add in the eggs and whisk well into the mixture. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown and white sugar, and all spices: cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, as well as baking soda, ground pepper, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to mix dry ingredients. Add anise extract and whisk again until well mixed.
4. Add the molasses-sugar-egg mixture and mix well with a sturdy wooden spoon or mixing spoon until blended. Be sure to blend edges and under and over the dough. Put the bowl into the refrigerator and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
5. Remove the dough mixture from the refrigerator and set out on the workspace with the cookie sheets which have been covered with parchment. 
6. Using a teaspoon, scoop a small amount of dough from the bowl and roll between your palms into acorn-sized balls. Arrange the balls on the lined cookie sheets and place into the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes and remove immediately to cool. When they are cooled, dust pfeffernussen with confectioner's sugar.

Once the pfeffernusse cookies are allowed to cool completely, 

they can be stored in festive cookie containers. Makes a great gift!

HINT:

Since spice cookies are so expensive to buy ingredients for (and who uses allspice except on Christmas!), you might want to throw a cookie baking party with friends and have each person bring a spice to the party.

Quick and Easy Dolly Madison Bars

Dolly Madison Bars, known in our family as Dolly Bars, are a scrumptious dessert treat that my older sister has become famous for. Her recipe is quick and easy and can be adjusted for gluten-free diets. 

This recipe doesn't require very many ingredients and is ready in no time.

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DOLLY MADISON BARS

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 cup regular or gluten-free graham cracker crumbs 

1 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

If you are using a metal baking pan, increase the heat to 350 degrees and bake only for 15-20 minutes.

Combine crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix well and then place the crumb mixture into a 9x12 Pyrex baking dish. Use your palm or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs down evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.

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Filling:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut, sweet

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or walnut pieces

1 can condensed milk (13.5 or 14 oz, depending on brand)


Next, layer the chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and coconut evenly over the graham cracker crust. Pour condensed milk all over the filling mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut and serve. 

Filipino Sticky Rice with Banana Leaf (Biko)

Filipino Sticky Rice Recipe, or Biko, is an easy and quick way to make something sweet for special occasions or every day. Our family loves this sweet and delicious dessert.

Filipino sweet sticky rice is a dessert treat that is popular not only in the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia but anywhere Filipino people get together to share delicious cuisine!

All of these items are readily available at your local Asian market. If you absolutely can't find banana leaves, this dessert can be made without them.

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FILIPINO STICKY RICE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked sweet rice

3-4 cups water

1 13.5-oz can coconut milk

1 small can condensed milk 

1/2 cup brown or raw sugar

Molasses, 1 tablespoon (optional)

1-2 pieces of frozen banana leaves, cut to size of pan

The traditional recipe calls for 1/2 lb. of brown sugar, or half a box. That's a LOT of sugar! I prefer to use less brown sugar because the condensed milk provides plenty of sweet flavor. Molasses is optional but you can add it for its color and nutritional value and to give a hint of rich flavor.  

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a Pyrex baking dish with non-stick spray. For this recipe, I used a 9x9 inch baking dish but you can use 9x13 and spread the mixture thinner.

Cut the banana leaves to size so they cover the bottom and up the sides of the baking dish. Set aside.

Pour 2 cups of uncooked sweet rice in a medium saucepan or rice cooker. Cover with enough water so that there is twice as much water as there is rice.  I use the index finger measuring method shown here I've never had to use a rice cooker!

Once the sweet rice comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, then pour the coconut milk into the rice and stir well with a wooden rice paddle or wooden spoon that has been rinsed in cold water. Likewise, add the condensed milk, then the brown sugar. Add the molasses, if used. Stir again until all ingredients are well blended.

With the aid of a rubber spatula, scrape the sweet rice mixture into the baking dish, using the spatula to spread the mixture inside the banana leaves.

Place the baking dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown. 

Allow to cool before serving.

Best Ever Red Pesto Sauce with Canned Clams

My homemade red clam pesto sauce always gets raves from family and friends alike. It's quick and easy to make with ingredients on hand.

My classic recipe includes fresh basil and a large can of chopped tomatoes, but I recently tried it with pesto sauce that I had frozen earlier from fresh basil, along with a bit of tomato paste supplemented by Clamato juice. It was delicious, too! For this blog, I've included only the best ever classic recipe.

I use gluten-free pasta in my recipes, and Barilla's is by far the best I have found. It cooks just like regular pasta and has the perfect consistency when done.

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Red Pesto Sauce with Canned Clams

Ingredients:

2 cans of chopped clams, liquid reserved

1 cup fresh basil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

14 oz can of chopped tomatoes

Additional 1 tablespoon olive oil

Barilla's gluten-free spaghetti

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Preparation:

Prepare a pot of water for the spaghetti, add a drop of olive oil to the water to keep pasta from sticking. While waiting for water to boil, open the cans of chopped clams, and remember to drain and reserve the clam juice in another container. Set aside. Meanwhile, add a tablespoon of olive oil to your favorite large cooking pan and add the chopped clams. Stir briefly on medium heat, then turn heat off while you prepare the pesto.

Using a food processor or blender, add the reserved clam juice, the garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil, and the fresh basil. Blend well. Open the large can of chopped tomatoes. If needed, add some of the liquid from the canned tomatoes to the blender or food processor. Add the parmesan cheese and blend again. Pour the blended pesto sauce over the clams in the pan. Finally, add the rest of the canned tomatoes and mix well. Heat on medium heat as you stir the pan and when the sauce bubbles, reduce the heat to low. You may pour a little olive oil around the top of the sauce while it is cooking; eventually the olive oil will become absorbed into the sauce. Continue to stir periodically as the sauce thickens, for about 20 minutes.

At any point in the preparation, once the water is at a full boil, you may add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Stir immediately to separate the strands. Continue cooking the spaghetti until you can lift a strand out of the boiling water with a pasta fork, let it cool and then take a taste test to find out if it is "al dente," meaning it offers resistance to the bite but is not too hard or too mushy. Once the spaghetti is done just right, take a hot pad and remove the pot from the stove to a colander and drain it well under running water to remove the starch. This will prevent the spaghetti from sticking together.

Pour the sauce over the spaghetti, add a little Parmesan cheese or Italian parsley for garnish and enjoy!