In 1956 Russia invaded Hungary to stop the Hungarian Revolution which was an effort to free Hungary from the occupation of the Soviet Union/Russia in 1945 at the end of WWII. Thousands of uprooted Hungarians escaped to cities and towns throughout Europe and to the United States. In the US, over 120,000 Hungarians were sent to McGuire Air Force Base and Camp Kilmer in New Jersey.
Finding familiar Hungarian food was not easy for these people. As a result many opened mom and pop Hungarian cafes and small groceries across the New Jersey / New York region to satisfy their cultural and nutritional needs. I remember this time very well as I got to know two Hungarian elementary school students who told about escaping Hungary and relocating to my homeland in Iowa to start a new life. Their stories were eye openers for youngsters like me who only knew of the Hungarian Revolution from newspaper clippings and the newsreels we saw at the movie theaters.
Today we are reminded of that period in Hungarian history with the recent occupation of the Crimea in the Ukraine by Russia and the potential conflict which threatens Eastern Europe and the rest of the world again. These current events are made more salient for me when I recall the culinary favorites of Hungarians and the many restaurants which served these delicious meals. I became more familiar with this cuisine when I attended graduate school at Rutgers University, which is located next to Camp Kilmer in New Brunswick. I enjoyed passing the Hungarian cafes and smelling the food being prepared on my way to class. Often I would drop into one of my favorite Hungarian cafes for lunch or dinner. It was always delicious and inexpensive as well. New Brunswick had a number of these cafes which allowed me to become familiar with many of the favorite neighborhood dishes. The cafes also must have been a warm reminder of home to the Hungarians.
I remember dishes like Chicken Paprikash, Cabbage stuffed with meat, rice and vegetables, and many varieties of Goulash. These dishes were a way for newly arrived people to get along in a foreign country. I remember all of the wonderful Goulash dishes I ate. They were served with potatoes and tomatoes, and lots of paprika, both the sweet and hot kinds. Today is a good time to explore this cuisine again in twenty-first century style. Today’s recipe is vegetarian with a Goulash sensibility. It is spicy because it has poblano peppers, tofu and paprika. It is also filling because of the potatoes, tomatoes and mushrooms. Most of all, it is delicious. I hope you like it.
Vegetarian Goulash
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 roasted poblano pepper @ 425 F for 40 minutes, turning over once, then steaming for 10 minutes by covering with a towel, removing seeds and veins and cutting into strips
1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms, removing stem and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 lbs. white cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika
1 tsp.smoked paprika
1 tsp.sweet Hungarian paprika
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 tsp.caraway seeds
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes ( Ideally “San Marzanos”)
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
1 pound zucchini, cut into medium dice
1/2 lb. firm tofu, medium dice
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs with olive oil
plain yogurt
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
chopped parsley
Directions
In a medium large pot, sweat the mushrooms to reduce moisture without adding fat (oil or butter) for 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and the diced onions and garlic to the same pot of mushrooms and continue sautéing until lightly brown.
2. Add caraway, all 3 paprikas, the tomatoes, potatoes, roasted, peeled and sliced poblano peppers, chopped zucchini with a teaspoon of sea salt for 10 minutes.
3. Add the vegetarian broth, the tofu, and bay leaves with a light seasoning of sea salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook at a simmer (at low heat) for about one hour.
4. Toast bread crumbs in a medium size sauté pan with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil until lightly brown. Add bread crumbs to the pot and stir until slightly thickened for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with plain yogurt or sour cream and chopped parsley. Enjoy.
Contact Chef Alan with questions or comments at [email protected]