Kettle goulash

Ingredients

• 1 kg of beef
• 1 kilogram of onions
• 1 kg of pointed red bell peppers
• 1 package of vegetables for soup (carrots, celery, leek, parsley)
• The zest of 3 untreated lemons
• 100 g of mild paprika, or one tube of paprika concentrate, or ajvar
• 1 teaspoon of hot paprika
• 5 cloves of garlic
• clarified butter or neutral oil
• One slice of dark bread
• Thick sour cream or mascarpone, for serving

Cut the beef into small, about 2 cm, pieces, smaller than those used for goulash, and sear them in batches to create a light brown crust. Brown the very finely chopped onions between each batch: they help to deglaze the pan.

Also, brown the finely chopped vegetables for the soup, reserving the parsley leaves (the stems will go in the soup).

Place everything in a very large stockpot with the bread, paprika, and garlic, cover with water, and simmer for one hour over low heat.

Remove the meat, blend the soup, and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve: it is thickened only by the paprika, bread, and onions, without any flour.

Return the meat to the pot, add the diced bell peppers and grated lemon zest, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with a spoonful of sour cream or mascarpone, and chopped parsley.