Paprika Gloop
One of my concoctions. So called due to the noise it makes when reducing. (for 10):
You will need the following:
1.8kg to 2.0kg Good Stewing Beef
1 Chorizo sausage (3/4? dia x 18? total, cut to 1/4? slices)
5 Large Carrots
3-4 Slim leeks (1? dia)
8 Small Onions ? good golf ball sized, sliced; or 3 large ones.
2 Yellow Peppers (Red or orange OK, not green ones)
Pinch saffron
? Bottle Dry White Wine
2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes
Thyme ? dried & fresh
Parsley ? fresh (never use the dried stuff)
2tsp Sweet Paprika
1/2tsp Hot Paprika (1tsp if you like it hot)
Tomato Puree ? a good squirt is about ? tube
2 Lemons
Pinch Saffron
2 Veg Stock Pots (or 2 cubes / 3 tsp veggie bouillon powder)
Garlic ? 5 large cloves finely chopped
Ground Black Pepper
Plain Flour
Salt
Olive Oil
Butter
Red Chilli (long one, not too hot. If you like spice add more)
2 tins Butter Beans
Stage 1:
Dice beef (trim off excess fat & sinew) and coat in seasoned flour (2-3oz flour, good pinch salt, ? tsp pepper). Brown in batches in a mix of olive oil and butter (1/8? slice of a pat) and add to stew pot. Add additional butter and oil to frying pan if needed between batches. Don't have heat too high or butter & flour will burn. Once all meat browned deglaze frying pan with a little water & pour into pot. Butter and flour helps thicken the sauce.
Stage 2:
Add sliced Chorizo to a dry frying pan on a low heat. Once oil starts to come out of Chorizo add sliced onions, sliced celery, scant level tsp black pepper & saut? for a few minutes, stirring to avoid catching (add some extra olive oil if needed). Add chopped garlic & chilli. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the paprika & stir ? take care not to burn ? for a couple of minutes. Add to stew pot. Deglaze frying pan with a little white wine and pour into pot. Do not add any salt at this stage as there is salt in seasoned flour, chorizo & stock pots.
Stage 3: (concurrent with stage 2)
Add tinned tomatoes to stew pot. Add the stock pots (or cubes / bouillon). Add the wine. Add tomato puree. Put saffron in a cup and pour on a little boiling water. After a few minutes add to pot. Add a little more boiling water to saffron cup to get the residues and add to pot. Slice leeks about 10mm wide and add to pot. Add juice of 1st lemon. Add 1 heaped tsp dried thyme. Stir. Ensure all ingredients covered, add a little water if not. Stir. {After Stage 2} Note the time it will take about three hours to cook from now as meat needs to tenderise and fat and connective tissue to melt into sauce. Bring to boil and then turn down to a low simmer. Stir now and then to prevent sticking.
Stage 4:
Slice carrots and peppers but do not add at this stage. Rinse butter beans under tap but do not add at this stage.
Stage 5:
Add the carrots about an hour before the end time. Check for seasoning at this stage. About half an hour before end time add peppers & butter beans. Turn up heat to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir gently now and then.
Stage 6:
A few minutes before serving add juice of 2nd lemon, a good handful of chopped parsley, and a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme. Stir gently.
To serve:
Either:
Herby Garlic Mash, or,
Rustic Bread
A bit of Tabasco if you like.
Plus:
A glass of something nice ? merlot or tempranillo works well (or Southern Comfort & lemonade!).
By the time you've done all this it's too late to go caving....
They also use lightweight calorific ingredients where possible, so are well suited to expeditions. May well be best replacing the TVP with something a little more palatable for weekends in the UK though!
