Ćoravi Gulaš

Ćoravi Gulaš (Croatian Blind Goulash)

A traditional Croatian stew from the Slavonia and Baranja regions. 'Ćoravi' (blind) refers to the fact that the dish contains no meat, letting the slow-cooked vegetables and sweet paprika shine as the star.

Prep

15 min

Cook

55 min

Total

70 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •60 ml (¼ cup) sunflower oil or pork lard, lard is most traditional
• •500 g (1.1 lb) onions, finely chopped
• •8 g (1 tbsp) sweet Hungarian paprika, do not substitute with smoked or hot paprika
• •500 g (1.1 lb) waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• •400 g (14 oz) ripe tomatoes, fresh, grated; or 1 x 400 g can crushed tomatoes
• •6 g (1 tbsp) tomato paste
• •6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• •500 ml (2 cups) water or vegetable stock
• •2 g (1 tsp) salt, adjust to taste
• •1 g (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •1 g (1 tsp) sweet marjoram, dried; a classic Slavonian finishing herb
• •30 g (2 tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Steps

1. 1 Heat the lard or sunflower oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions and cook gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not browned.
2. 2 Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sweet paprika. This off-heat step prevents the paprika from burning and turning bitter. Add 2 tablespoons of water and stir to form a paste.
3. 3 Return the pot to medium-low heat. Add the tomato paste and grated fresh tomatoes (or canned crushed tomatoes). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
4. 4 Add the cubed potatoes, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and the 500 ml water or stock. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
5. 5 Remove the lid and simmer for a further 5–8 minutes if you would like a thicker stew; the sauce should coat the potatoes but remain spoonable.
6. 6 Stir in the dried marjoram off the heat and taste for seasoning. Sprinkle generously with chopped fresh parsley.
7. 7 Serve hot in deep plates with crusty bread. In Croatia it is traditionally accompanied by a slice of rustic bread and a sharp, aged cheese such as paški sir.