Beef goulash soup with soured cream

4 HOURS | SERVES 6 | EASY |

This is also delicious made with pork – use a cut such as shoulder and cut it into large chunks.

olive oil for frying smoked streaky bacon 100g, finely chopped braising steak or beef shin 1kg, cut into 2.5cm chunks plain flour 2 heaped tbsp onions 2 large, thinly sliced red peppers 2, sliced garlic 3 cloves, crushed juniper berries 5, crushed bay leaves 2 sweet smoked paprika 1 tbsp hot smoked paprika Ω tbsp caraway seeds 2 tsp tomato purée 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp beef stock 1.2 litres waxy potatoes 300g, cut into chunks beetroots 2, cut into chunks flat-leaf parsley chopped, to serve soured cream to serve

• Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a casserole or large lidded pan and fry the bacon over a medium heat until starting to colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and put aside.

• Dust the beef in the flour with plenty of seasoning, then brown in batches over a high heat in the same pan, adding more oil if necessary. Remove and put aside.

• Add more oil to the pan and tip in the onions and peppers. Cook for 10 minutes until softened and the onions start to colour. Add the garlic, juniper, bay and spices, and fry for a few minutes before adding the tomato purée, vinegar and stock.

• Return the beef and bacon to the pan, and season. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 2-2Ω hours or until the beef is starting to become really tender. Add the potatoes and beetroots to the pan, and simmer, with the lid off, for 45 minutes1 hour or until the vegetables are tender.

• Stir in the parsley and serve in warmed bowls with generous dollops of soured cream.

PER SERVING 499 KCALS | FAT 22.9G SATURATES 8.4G | CARBS 25G | SUGARS 9.4G FIBRE 6.7G | PROTEIN 44.9G | SALT 1.3G