Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) beef chuck steak, or other stewing steak, cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) cubes
- 1 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour
- 20 g (¾ oz) butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 large red capsicum (pepper), finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated purée)
- 300 g (10½ oz) green beans
Dumplings
- 150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) self-raising flour a large pinch of salt
- 30 g (1 oz) butter, melted
- 90 ml (3 fl oz) milk
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Method
1. Put the beef and flour in a bowl and toss to coat the beef in the flour. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the beef in batches and cook, turning often, for 5–6 minutes each batch, or until browned all over. Transfer each batch to a bowl while browning the remaining beef.
3. Add the onion, capsicum and garlic to the casserole dish and sauté over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, or until softened. Add the paprika,caraway seeds and thyme and stir for 1 minute,then return the beef to the pan. Add the stock and tomato paste, bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1–1½ hours, or until the beef is tender.
4. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the melted butter, milk and parsley to the well and stir until a dough forms. Divide the dough into eight even portions and roll each into a ball.
5. Remove the lid from the goulash, place the dumplings on top of the beef in a single layer, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through. (Avoid lifting the lid during this time as the dumplings need to steam to cook through properly.)
6. While the dumplings are cooking, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the beans and cook for 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and serve immediately, with the goulash and dumplings.
