For ➍750 g lean beef, cut into 5 cm cubes
1½ tbs sweet paprika
6 tbs olive oil
125 g pancetta, 0.5 cm thick, cut into 0.5 cm strips
2 large brown onions, chopped
½ ts cayenne pepper
1 ts cumin (fresh if possible)
2 tbs minced garlic
15 cl red wine
150 g seeded, chopped canned plum tomatoes with juice
1 sprig of rosemary & marjoram each, 1 bay leaf
grated zest of ½ lemon
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Rub the meat with ½ tbs paprika, 1 tbs salt and 2 tbs of olive oil. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove from refrigerator 1 h before cooking.
Preheat oven to 130°C.
Heat a large pan to medium. Add some oil (4 tbs for the whole process). Add pancetta and let it render its fat (7 m). Remove pancetta and put on a plate.
Raise the heat to high. Brown beef cubes, adding olive oil as needed. Remove meat.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the 2 onions and fry, add more oil as needed, until softened.
Stir in 1 tbs paprika, cayenne, cumin and garlic. Boil for 5 m.
Add the beef, pancetta, wine, tomatoes and their juice, herb sachet, and lemon zest. Stir for 5 m. Transfer to an oven-dish, cover and simmer for 2 (to 2,5) h*.
Discard herbs. Season stew to taste. Tastes best refrigerated overnight, then reheated.
Serve with buttered pasta, mashed potatoes, polenta or rye bread and a strong ruby wine like Trieste refosco or some Carso rosso.*Alternatively, cook on stove-top in cast iron cookware. Cover tightly and simmer for about 1 (to 1.5) h on low heat. Uncover during last half hour for a thicker version.
The Adriatic city of Trieste came into bloom as the only sea-port of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and, being a frontier city for ages, about as great a melting-pot of nationalities as the capital Vienna. After the defeat of Austria in World War I, the Free-State Trieste became part of Italy. After World War II and Yugoslavian occupation it finally became an Italian city, keeping the heritage of Slavian and Austrian influences alive.
This fusion gulyas (goulash) is close to the Viennese version of an originally Hungarian dish.
