Fiaker Goulash

Fiaker Goulash. The year-long infusion between Austrian & Hungarian cultures could not leave the Viennese cuisine unaffected. Originally “goulash” is a traditional Hungarian dish. The Fiaker goulash is a special Viennese version of this spicy Hungarian delicacy. A respectful amount of onions cut into strips are heated in a pot of oil before paprika powder, tomato paste & vinegar are poured into a pot of water.

The cubic-shaped beef meat is added along with some salt & pepper in the mixture. Crushed garlic, marjoram, bay leaves & caraway supplement the blend before more water is added & the soup is left to simmer for 2 hours. When the meat is cooked the pot is placed in a moderately warm oven for an hour.

Meanwhile, 2-3 pairs of Sacher sausages (Wiener or Frankfurter)are simmered for 10 minutes while 4-6 eggs are fried in a buttered pan. When the goulash is ready it is served on warmed plates with fried eggs on top & one sausage on each side. The dish is garnished with sliced gherkins in the shape of a fan.

The suggested side dishes are bread dumplings, boiled potatoes & red pepper salad.  A sure bet for this one is Gulasch & Söhne. As the name of the place implies they do gulasch and they do it well enough to take pride in it. That includes the variation of Fiaker Goulash of course.