When the forest gives up its treasures, it’s time to make the most of it – and what better lunch than a hearty mushroom goulash. Forget about ready-made mixes – this mushroom goulash made from young, firm porcini, sautéed on darkened onions in lard, triple-reduced to a mash, with tomato paste, caraway, and paprika, stewed with garlic and marjoram and without any thickening is an absolute top dish that will disappear from the table in no time. The secret to success lies in thoroughly caramelizing the onion base, slow-stewing young, firm mushrooms, and a pure flavor without flour.
What you’ll need for a proper pot of goulash:
For the mushroom base and stewing:
- Mix of young, firm mushrooms: porcini, bay bolete, scarletina bolete, and orange birch bolete (cut into pieces)
- Lard: quality lard for sautéing the onion base
- Onion: plenty of finely chopped onion
- Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon
- Spices and seasonings: crushed caraway, sweet red paprika, salt, and ground black pepper
- Garlic: mashed garlic added halfway through stewing
- Marjoram: added just before the end of stewing
- Broth: for pouring over the mushroom mixture
For serving:
- Side dish: soft, cooked bread dumplings
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Caramelized onion base: Sauté the onions in lard until dark. During frying, deglaze and reduce three times, letting it cook down to a mash, which creates a deep and rich base without the need for flour thickening.
2. Adding tomato paste and spices: Stir a tablespoon of tomato paste into the dark onion mash, add caraway and paprika, and briefly let them release their aroma.
3. Adding mushrooms and stewing: Add the chopped mix of young, firm mushrooms (porcini, bay bolete, scarletina bolete, and orange birch bolete) to the base. Salt, pepper, and pour in the broth. Because of the scarletina bolete, stew under a lid for about 40 minutes. Halfway through, stir in the mashed garlic, and just before the end, add marjoram.
4. Serving: Let the finished mushroom goulash rest briefly and serve hot with fluffy bread dumplings.
Proven tips for the best result:
- Triple-reduced onions: Gradually reducing the onion base to a mash ensures a natural thickness and a beautiful dark color of the sauce, completely without roux.
- Choice of firm mushrooms: The combination of young porcini and orange birch bolete gives the goulash an amazing texture that won’t fall apart during stewing.
- Stewing time for scarletina bolete: Thorough stewing for 40 minutes is key for scarletina bolete to ensure proper cooking and maximum tenderness.
