Polish Gulasz

While Hungarian goulash is a soup - thin, paprika-forward broth, Polish gulasz is a stew, thicker and richer, closer to the Hungarian pörkölt. It is often served with potatoes or grated potato fritters.

Start with lard or oil and a serious amount of sliced onion. Cook it down until soft, then add cubed beef chuck and brown it properly. Add tomato paste and let it caramelise slightly against the meat before anything else goes in.

Pour in beef stock, add a generous hand of sweet paprika, marjoram, and dried mushrooms. Keep it on the stove over low heat for a long time. Serve it less liquid than you think, a proper one needs to be reduced quite a lot into a heavy stew.

TIP: A glass of red wine helps break down the meat. Add gradually during simmering, and drink the rest of the bottle while cooking.

TIP: The best gulasz is the one heated a few times. Make 2 days before the big event.