Blu Jam Cafe's Goulash

Buster's friend's Note:

Cold weather is just around the corner so this recipe from the LA Times' SOS column, kindly provided by chef Kamil Majer Blu Jam Cafe on Melrose Avenue at an appreciative customer's request, caught my eye. The customer noted he is a first generation Hungarian-American, who for twenty years has been searching for a goulash recipe that even remotely resembled his beloved grandma's... & this is it. Not only does it reheat well, it actually tastes better the next day - another one for the brown bag wide mouth thermos. BTW - pork shoulder works fine too - just trim either of excess fat & shoot for a pound and a half of meat to cube. Final bonus - the fresh pork is relatively inexpensive, especially for the quality of the protein & its wonderful flavor.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 ½ lbs pork butt , cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
• salt , to taste
• pepper , to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil , more as needed
• 1 lb kielbasa , cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 3 cups button mushrooms , sliced
• 1 tablespoon garlic , chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika , more to taste
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 ½ quarts chicken broth , divided
• 1 cup flour
• ¾ cup water
• 1 bunch parsley , chopped
• 2 baking potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

Directions:

1. Place the pork pieces in a large bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt and one-fourth teaspoon pepper, tossing the pork so that it is evenly coated.
2. In a 4-quart, heavy-bottom pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork and sauté, stirring frequently, until the pieces are browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. This may need to be done in batches. Remove the pork to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until the pieces are lightly browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain and set aside with the sautéed pork.
4. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pot, along with a little extra oil if needed. Sauté the vegetables until the onions are lightly colored, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic, caraway seeds and paprika and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic and spices become fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables evenly, and cook for a minute or two until the paste just begins to darken in color.
5. Stir in 2 cups broth and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring the contents of the pot and scraping any flavorings from the bottom of the pot, until the mixture comes to a good simmer. Add the pork and sausage back to the pot, along with the rest of the stock.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and water to form a slurry, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk the slurry into the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a strong simmer and cook until the meat is tender and the pork almost falls apart, about 30 minutes. Stir frequently, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so the flour does not burn.
7. Stir in the parsley and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. This makes about 2 1/2 quarts stew.
8. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and paprika before serving.