Budapest, My Traditional Gulyásleves
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When I talk about LaBouffe, I think of those recipes that do not make a fuss but sustain the body, the mood, and the rhythm of a day. Hungarian gulyásleves is exactly that for me: a straightforward, patient, nourishing dish, one that feels more like me than overly showy plates. I like to make it on days when I crave calm, after reading or taking a long walk, with the feeling that I am cooking something simple, sincere, and deeply balanced. In Budapest, between the baths and the Danube, I always imagine this soup as a meal that warms without weighing you down, firmly rooted in the country’s cuisine and generous enough to share without any fuss. I start by gently sautéing two finely sliced onions in a little lard or oil, then add five hundred grams of stewing beef cut into cubes. I let the meat take on a light colour before seasoning it with one tablespoon of sweet Hungarian paprika, a little cumin, and two garlic cloves, then I add two carrots, one turnip, two potatoes, one pepper, and two tomatoes to the pot. I cover everything with around one litre and two hundred millilitres of water or stock, season with salt and pepper, then simmer it over a low heat for one and a half to two hours, until the meat becomes meltingly tender. If the liquid reduces too much, I add a little more to retain that generous, supple soup texture. I finish with parsley and, if I feel like being even truer to the Hungarian spirit, a few csipetke, those tiny hand-pinched noodles. I serve this gulyásleves with bread and, sometimes, a spoonful of crème fraîche. What I love about this recipe is that it says a great deal without overdoing it: it is warm, clear, highly legible, and reminds me that I can love deep things while still remaining measured.
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Where: HU