Hungarian Goulash with Eggplant

Serves 4-6

This was dinner from last week…I don’t know what took me so long to post it. It seems decidedly unseasonal now that the weather is so hot, but on that cloudy cool day, it totally hit the spot. And I gave a great gift to Chris that night: I served it with plain ole white flour egg noodles. Norrmally I force whole- or multi-grain pasta on the family, which I think is only occasionally to Chris’ chagrin, but even I noticed how velvety, soft, innocuous and light these were…yes, every once in awhile, you just gotta eat big, soft, white things!

2 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 eggplant, cubed

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb. beef chuck (stew meat, or shank meat)

2 tbsp. Hungarian paprika

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. crushed Italian pepper or cayenne

1/2 tsp. caraway seeds

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I used 5 fresh roma tomatoes)

1/2 C white wine

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste

Sour cream

Place the cubed eggplant in a colander, salt thoroughly, and let drain in the sink. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom saucepan or casserole, add the onions and garlic, sauté until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the meat, season with salt, cook until no longer pink on the outside. Rinse the eggplant and add to the saucepan. Add paprika, caraway seeds, the pepper and the bay leaves, stir all together, cover and let cook on a low fire for 10 to 15 minutes until meat has picked up the flavor of the seasonings. Add tomatoes and wine, cover and return to a simmer. Adjust fire so the goulash simmers very gently and let cook, stirring occasionally until meat is tender, up to an hour. Serve over noodles with a little sour cream mixed in.