When I started this blog, it was not my intention to fill it with recipes, but rather memories of a great man that I could later share with my son. Well, it turns out that many of my memories are tied to food, or at least certain foods and flavors remind me of Daddy. One of my favorite comfort foods from childhood has always been Dad’s goulash. I know the name of this dish might put you off, I mean it starts with “goo”, but you have to try it. It is savory, simple, hearty and warm. It was waiting for me when I came in from throwing snowballs at my sisters. It was what was for dinner after my father put in a 12 hour day and then took the time to make dinner and spend quality time with us afterwards. Sure, dishes had to be done after dinner and that chore was hated by all and enforced strictly by my old man, but after the heavy stomping and guilt-trips came hanging out with Dad, even if it meant watching Dan Rather and complaining about it. It was awesome, and so is his Goulash. The only thing better than Dad’s goulash is leftover Goulash. Seriously. Awesome.

Like many of the dishes my Dad made for us, there is no written recipe, and it is unlikely that the exact ingredients available to him then are available to us now. Our ground beef might have been venison, and the veggies probably came from the huge garden he maintained out back. So, it’s been a challenge over time to find a mix of modern items that results in a taste from my childhood, and flashes of my father cooking for the family in our tiny galley kitchen in Michigan. Tonight I nailed it. This fact has been verified by my little sister, so I stand by my claim.

Ready for a simple comfort food that is even better on day two, feeds an army and freezes well? This one is for you!

Comfort Food Memories: Art’s Famous Goulash

• 4 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 16 ounces beef broth
• 1 small can diced green chilies
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 6 celery stalks WITH LEAVES, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground sea salt
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 16 ounces (1 bag or box) macaroni pasta

Directions:

• Empty the contents of all the canned goods (tomato items, chilies and beef broth) into a large spaghetti pot and add the spices. Simmer on a low setting. This will incorporate the dried spices into the soup while you work on other items.
• Dice the onion into very small pieces and brown them in a skillet on medium heat using a small amount of butter. Don’t be impatient and turn up the heat – this step takes a few minutes. If you rush it you won’t get the same flavor. Grind a little sea salt and black pepper on the onions while they were browning for extra yumminess.
• When the onions are somewhat transparent and a bit browned, add the ground beef and mix it all together. Fry until the meat is still a bit pink and then add to the spaghetti pot. Do not change the heat setting on the big pot. Stir occasionally.
• Chop the celery into small pieces; about the size you’d want on a salad. The celery leaf is very important to the flavor of this soup. It is the cornerstone, frankly. I imagine that you could substitute the sea salt with celery salt for a similar outcome, but do yourself a favor and just make the effort to find leafy celery. It’s not always easy, but most markets that sell bulk celery will have young stalks with leaves still on them. Add the celery and the leaves to the big pot.
• Allow all of this to simmer for at least 30 minutes, but at a low temperature it could simmer for maybe 90 minutes before the meat starts to fall apart. The longer you let it simmer, the more flavor you’ll get from the celery leaf. Just do it.
• In a separate pot, bring the pasta to a boil and cook until it is tender but not mushy. Rinse and drain the pasta. Here is a tip: if you wish to freeze the soup for later portions, keep the pasta separate or don’t cook it as long. The pasta will continue to soften in the leftover soup and soak up all the broth. Otherwise, add the pasta to the soup and remove from heat.

This recipe makes, um, a TON of goulash, but in my experiment I added things as I went along and so it grew heads. I imagine one could cut this in half and make plenty for a family of four for dinner with leftovers. It is more filling than it looks! FYI – my sister asked that I update this recipe for the modern masses and include the fact that a splash of Tapatio hot sauce gave this dish a nice kick. While I am sure she’s right, I like Dad’s goulash just the way it is. It reminds me of just the way he was.

For my sister Judy, who looks like Daddy and could pass for my son’s twin in this photo.