There are a number of dishes that based solely on their name get a bad rap from those who don’t know what it is and haven’t had it.
Spotted Dick, Toad in the Hole, and Bubble and Squeak all fall into that category. (Hmmm…..so many foods from the UK).
Another one of those, at least for me, was goulash. As a kid, I had this picture of some grimy soup made with leftover water from the mop pail mixed with innards and goats blood. There is very little chance I would have ordered it from a restaurant menu, no matter the description that was given. The reality, as is often the case, is much more tame. For those who have not had goulash, it is a meat based stew with paprika and often potatoes. In many cases a little sour cream is added to the dish.
This version uses pork and I used an oven bag to keep the meat juicy and fully cook the potatoes.
Not a difficult recipe at all.
All in the bag, ready for the oven.
And out.
I removed the bag and had the goulash.
It was hearty and had good flavor.
Hungarian Goulash
Makes: Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1.2lb Pork tenderloin (cut into 2cm pieces)
- 1/2 cup Onions (chopped)
- 1/2 cup Red/Green peppers (chopped)
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp Tomato puree
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 ounces Cream cheese (full fat)
- 8 small potatoes (peeled)
- 3 cups Chicken stock
- Bay leaf
- Chopped parsley
- Salt/pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC 1. Place the pork, onions and peppers into a bowl 2.Pour over the olive oil, adding paprika, tomato puree, cream cheese and bay leaf. Gently mix the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. 3. Lay the bag in a non-heated oven proof dish and empty the ingredients into the bag. Add the stock and new potatoes and seal the bag with the tie provided. 4 Snip the corner off the oven bag. 4. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. 5. To serve – cut open the bag and let the steam escape. 6. Transfer the goulash to serving dishes/plates to serve. 7. Finish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes:
This classic Hungarian casserole is given a new twist and bags of flavour by cooking in a LOOK oven bag. Cooking in an oven bag helps intesify the flavours of the pork and the paprika for a simple, delicious family meal.
Source: http://www.cooking-bags.com/Recipes/tabid/89/ID/10/Pork-Casserole-Hungarian-Goulash.aspx
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
My husband loves goulash. He’s from Minnesota, doncha know 🙂 I’ll have to give Mop Pail Goulash a try. Such an enticing name 🙂
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Love the cooking in a bag concept too – looks good!
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It’s true, “goulash” puts you off. It doesn’t sound appetizing, but that recipe does! It’s not far removed from cassoulet after all.
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Looks yummy, need some rice for all that broth! lol
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When I was growing up, goulash was made with tomatoes not potatoes. Looks good. Paprika is a nice switch, from Steak Seasoning I use in just about everything. I’ll try it.
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I like a good goulash, name doesn’t do it justice does it?! X
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Ahhhwww Goulash is one of my fav dish of Czech Republic.:)
Have a good weekend,
Yen-Yen
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I’m surprisde that the name puts so many people off. Never did me. If you want to have a real goulash – delicious – (made in a pot not a bag) a trip to Budapest is a must; it’s a fabulous city quite apart from the food. Bubble and squeak is great too if made right but you need to come to Britain for that,
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Love the name! When my daughter was small, we made a game of making gross-out names for food, which accidentally tricked her into eating a few veggies once or twice 😉 We still do that sometimes, at Halloween, hence this year’s “pumpkin puke soup”
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this reminds me of Fanny’s off of 156th street in Cleveland. No matter what they had, I always got the goulash followed by the rice pudding.
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Looking good Chef. A hearty meal for a cold day.
Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Chef Randall
savorthefood.wordpress.com
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I love goulash, but you’re right, it does have a bit of a bad rep. This version sounds yum!
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Now that looks like a delicious goulash! Since I dont eat pork I would use a delicous beef! What type would you recommend!
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This looks so good. Do you think that I could make this w/out the cream cheese since I don’t do dairy? Any good subs for it?
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The name “Goulash” didn’t put me off at all, but the ‘mop pail” did! Let me explain. I wasn’t reading it as English as I read it and though maybe t it was an Indian twist on goulash. All right I thought, an interesting dish, then I realised that mop pail was English and thought oh! Mind games. 🙂
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