Beef goulash and vegetable soup

Serves 4

Prep time: about 45 minutes

Cooking time: 1½-2 hours

This is a hearty, warming soup – almost a stew – to serve in a bowl, with a chunky slice of toasted sourdough or farmhouse bread for hungry people. There’s a hint of spice from the paprika but if you like more spicy food, increase the amount to your taste. We took it to our neighbours in a saucepan, with the sour cream and parsley in little separate containers so they could heat it when they wanted. Otherwise you could just pop it in a lidded plastic box. It freezes beautifully (without the sour cream though).

The flour is optional if you prefer a thicker soup. You can use gluten-free if you like. If you can’t get a waxy potato, don’t worry – it just means the potato won’t hold its shape so well.

Double up the ingredients if you want to batch cook and freeze.

Ingredients

30ml olive oil (approx)

400g stewing steak (or braising steak), diced

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

1 small/medium onion, thinly sliced

1 red or orange pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 heaped tbsp plain white flour (optional)

1 tbsp tomato purée

1-2 heaped tsp ground paprika (to taste)

1 large/2 small tomatoes, diced

1 large waxy potato, peeled and diced (eg, Desirée)

50ml red wine

300ml beef stock, fresh, cube or stock pot

100g sour or double cream, to serve

1 tbsp chopped parsley, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

2. Heat the olive oil in a casserole or heavy-based saucepan (you will need a lid for later).

3. While it heats, toss the beef with salt and pepper.

4. Put the beef in the pan over a medium heat and let it brown a little on all sides.

5. Add the onions and let them colour with the beef so they caramelise slightly.

6. Add the diced peppers and carrots and chopped garlic and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time so the mixture doesn’t stick.

7. Stir in the flour, if using, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

8. Add the tomato purée and ground paprika, stir in well and cook gently for another 3-5 minutes.

9. Add the diced tomato and potato, red wine and beef stock, and stir. Heat slowly until it comes to the boil. Remove from heat and check the seasoning again.

10. Cover the pan with a lid and cook in the oven for 90 minutes or until the beef is tender.

11. Serve in warmed soup bowls, stir in the sour or double cream and scatter the chopped parsley on top.

Tip This recipe will last well in the fridge for 3 days; it can also be frozen for up to 3 months, in single or multiple portions.