Radim and Lisa's Guinness Goulash with New Mexican Chile Chipotle created in Louisiana

This is our take on the Vienna Goulash (Wiener Saftgulasch), the classic Austrian/Czech pub grub. Our recipe is a break from tradition in that it uses some ingredients that would normally go into a chili. We still use the sweet Hungarian red paprika to obtain the traditional color the dish should have, but we substitute ground chipotle chile grown in New Mexico for the normally-used hot Hungarian red paprika powder. This not only gives the dish a bit more heat, it also adds a beautifully smoky flavor. The Chipotle is a medium-hot chile pepper, a smoked jalapeño, with a sweet, smoky taste and a medium, lingering heat.

The second thing we change are the fresh peppers. We use poblano and anaheim chiles (mild) instead of the traditional Hungarian red and yellow peppers.

Finally, we add dark beer for color and even more flavor. Dark English or Irish ales such as Guinness, Kilkenny or John Smith's are good, as are dark lagers from Staropramen, Bernard, Kozel, Paulaner, Spaten etc.

So, try this truly international dish: an Austrian-Czech-Hungarian recipe with a Mexican slant, created in Louisiana!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 - 2 lbs lean beef for stew, cut in half-inch cubes
• 2-3 large onions, finely chopped (the aim is to have the same amounts of chopped onion and meat)
• 3-4 vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2-3 fresh poblano and anaheim chile peppers, washed, cleaned and chopped (mild American chiles taking place of Hungarian peppers)
• Optional: 1-2 fresh serrano chile peppers, washed, cleaned and chopped (very hot Mexican chile pepper)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika powder
• 1 tbsp hot New Mexican chile chipotle powder
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• Toasted slice of dark whole-grain bread, cut into small cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 2 bottles Guinness Draught or other dark ale or lager, one for the dish, one for the cook
• For garnish: 1 onion sliced into rings, pickled roasted red peppers, fresh peppers, fried slices of sausage etc.

Preparation:

1. Open one of the beers and start drinking it.
2. In a medium pot or a large sauce pan, on medium-high heat, lightly sauté chopped onion and garlic in oil. Add meat, continue to cook until mixture turns light brown.
3. Add marjoram, caraway seed, ground paprika, chile, salt and pepper. Mix well until meat is coated in herbs.
4. Add beer, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Check after 15 minutes to make sure mixture does not stick to the bottom. If necessary, add more beer.
5. After 30 minutes, add tomatoes and bread, continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until meat is tender and bread cubes have been dissolved.
6. Adjust seasonings, arrange on a wide plate and garnish with roasted pepper and onion rings.
7. Typical serving suggestions include:
   • Spätzle (tiny noodle-like flour dumplings).
   • Lard dumplings (round and big, made with baguette, bacon, milk, eggs and lard)
   • Bavarian dumplings (round and big, made of either flour or potato dough)
   • Czech dumplings (flat slices of one long cylindrical dumpling, made of either flour or potato dough, boiled whole, then sliced)
   • Serviettenknödel (Vienna flour-and-bread dumpling, steamed whole in cloth, then sliced)
   • Bramborák, Erdapfelpuffer (potato pancakes)
   • Baguette or sliced rustic crusty bread