Goulash Place Hungarian Goulash Soup

Source: Goulash Place - Danbury, Connecticut

3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or better yet, chicken fat)
1 pound lean beef, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
2 medium onions, minced (1 1/2 cups)
6 cups chicken broth or light soup stock
3 carrots, sliced into thin discs
4 medium-size boiling potatoes, cubed
1 large tomato, peeled and cut into eighths
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf, broken in half
1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Heat vegetable oil or chicken fat in bottom of 5-quart stockpot over medium heat. Saut beef until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes, then season with paprika and remove with slotted spoon. Saut onions until they are soft but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth and raise heat. When it simmers, add beef. Cover and simmer 2 hours or until meat is very tender. Add carrots, potatoes, tomato, parsley, caraway seeds, salt and pepper, bay leaf and dill. Cover and simmer gently until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf halves.

To serve: If desired, add your favorite dumplings to soup 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Or serve with good bread on the side.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 321 calories (percent of calories from fat, 36), 23 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 13 grams fat, 51 milligrams cholesterol, 176 milligrams sodium