Goulash with Caraway Dumplings

Whilst this may not be authentic, it is no less delicious. The perfect warming dish on a cold winter's day. Rather than including stewing beef, I have used lamb escalopes instead – this means that it can be cooked quicker rather than the usual hour or so, because the cuts of meat are tender to start with. I also prefer the robust taste of lamb which works so well with the rich sweet earthy tasting sauce.

I use smetana (an eastern european soured cream) to spoon over the top. If you can't find it in your shop, just use normal soured cream, or even natural yogurt which is a perfect substitute.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

325g lamb escalopes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

60ml (half a glass) red wine

500g carton sieved tomatoes

2 red peppers from a jar, sliced

1 tablespoon paprika

salt and black pepper to season

Smetana (soured cream) to serve

For the dumplings:

100g plain flour

50g vegetarian suet

half teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

pinch salt

black pepper

cold water to mix

Method

Put the olive oil in a large heavy lidded saucepan over a moderate heat, when the oil is hot, place the lamb escalopes in a single layer (you may have to do this in two batches) and fry for about a minute on each side until brown. Remove the meat and set aside.

Reduce the heat and add the onions and garlic, sauté gently until translucent and the raw smell disappears.

Be careful not to let them burn.

Now add the wine and allow to boil while you stir, scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until almost all the liquid has gone and the alcohol has burned off.

Pour in the sieved tomatoes, add the red pepper and paprika and give it a good stir, when it comes to a simmer return the meat and any of its juices and stir in. Put on the lid and cook gently, after about 10 minutes, remove the lid while you continue to cook for another 10 minutes uncovered to allow some of the moisture to evaporate.

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir again, making sure that your goulash isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it is, just reduce the heat slightly.

Whilst it's bubbling away, make the dumplings.

In a bowl, add the flour, suet, baking powder, caraway seeds, salt and pepper and stir to combine, then add the cold water little by little as you mix with a fork. You want the dough to come together without being too wet. On a floured surface, squeeze the dough together with your hands and divide into eight pieces.

Roll each of the pieces into a ball.

Now you can add your dumplings to the goulash. Drop them in and gently push them down with a spoon, so that they're completely covered by the sauce.

Replace the lid on the pan and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

The dumplings are done when they increase in size rise to the surface.

Serve in bowls with cool smetana or soured cream spooned

over the top.

Butternut Squash and Parsnip Soup

I've eaten commercially made butternut squash soup from the supermarket, but felt that it didn't really do justice to such a tasty ingredient, so I set myself to task on making my own, in the hope I could do better.
Instead of cooking the squash in the stock, I chose to roast it, without oil, to intensify the sweet, rich flavour. The addition of spices and red pepper give the finished soup a slightly exotic fragrance without being overbearing.

Serves 2 as a main meal

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash
3 small parsnips, peeled and trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
half teaspoon cumin seeds
1 red pepper from a jar
half pint vegetable stock
nutmeg, freshly grated
black pepper, freshly ground
water

to serve
handful pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan
hazelnut oil, to drizzle

Method
Cut the parsnips and squash into large chunks (no need to peel or de-seed) and put them into a baking tray, cover with foil and put them into the oven, Gas 5 for an hour until soft.
When they're done remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic, fry gently for about 3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and continue cooking until the onions are soft and translucent.
Remove from the heat.

Remove the seeds and peel from the squash and put in a food processor along with the parsnips, red pepper and the onion mixture.
Pulse the mixture in the processor to form a stiff puree. While the processor is still running add the stock slowly until it becomes completely combined.

Transfer the soup mixture back into the saucepan, grate in a good amount of nutmeg and add a generous twist of black pepper.
Stir in the water and bring the soup to a good simmer. It shouldn't be runny but quite thick and hearty.

Serve in deep bowls, scattered with pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of hazelnut oil.