My Beef Paprikash with Rice

     Fresh garden veggies went into this Hungarian-inspired dish that I created for dinner recently. The flavors of both the paprika (made by grinding dried aromatic sweet red peppers) and green peppers are complimented by using a fruity wine as part of the cooking liquid. Sour cream adds creaminess to the dish and helps balance the rich flavor of this dish.

     Barry was impressed so I have transcribed my notes so that I’ll remember what to do in the future.

Beef Paprikash with Rice

3 to 4 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika.

1 to 1½ lbs. beef chuck or round, cut into 1” cubes

1½ cup of a fruity white wine (may need more as cooking time progresses)

1½ cups water (may need more as cooking time progresses)

1½ to 2 cups tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, cut into thin slices

About 3 cups of cooked rice

Fresh parsley, chopped for serving

Sour cream for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and some salt and pepper and continue to sauté. Lower the heat (so the paprika won't burn) and stir in the paprika.

Sautéing the onions.

The paprika has been added.

2. Sprinkle the beef on all sides with salt and pepper. Return the pot to medium-high heat, and add the beef cubes to the pot, turning to cover the beef with the paprika-onion mixture, and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.

3. Add 1½ cups of wine and 1½ cups of water to Dutch oven; cover with a lid. Reduce heat to low and stew for 45 minutes.

4. At the end of 45 minutes, add more wine or water if needed + green pepper strips and chopped tomatoes. Cover again and continue to stew until the beef is tender and veggies are cooked, about 30 minutes more; stir several times.

5. Near end of the cooking period, check taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add about 1 cup of cooked rice at this point to absorb some of the liquid. Lid may also be left off in order to reduce any excess liquid – I like to reduce it to a thick stew-like consistency so that it will not run all over the bowl (see photo following step 6).

Rice has just been added . . . but the stew has not yet reduced.

6. To serve, spoon cooked rice in the bottom of a bowl, add a ladle of beef paprikash. Top with chopped parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe without photos . . .

Beef Paprikash with Rice

3 to 4 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika.

1 to 1½ lbs. beef chuck or round, cut into 1” cubes

1½ cup of a fruity white wine (may need more as cooking time progresses)

1½ cups water (may need more as cooking time progresses)

1½ to 2 cups tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, cut into thin slices

About 3 cups of cooked rice

Fresh parsley, chopped for serving

Sour cream for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and some salt and pepper and continue to sauté. Lower the heat (so the paprika won't burn) and stir in the paprika.

2. Sprinkle the beef on all sides with salt and pepper. Return the pot to medium-high heat, and add the beef cubes to the pot, turning to cover the beef with the paprika-onion mixture, and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.

3. Add 1½ cups of wine and 1½ cups of water to Dutch oven; cover with a lid. Reduce heat to low and stew for 45 minutes.

4. At the end of 45 minutes, add more wine or water if needed + green pepper strips and chopped tomatoes. Cover again and continue to stew until the beef is tender and veggies are cooked, about 30 minutes more; stir several times.

5. Near end of the cooking period, check taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add about 1 cup of cooked rice at this point to absorb some of the liquid. Lid may also be left off in order to reduce any excess liquid – I like to reduce it to a thick stew-like consistency so that it will not run all over the bowl (see photo following step 6).

6. To serve, spoon cooked rice in the bottom of a bowl, add a ladle of beef paprikash. Top with chopped parsley and a dollop of sour cream.