Goulasch!

In keeping with my new theme, I must, of course, show you what I made for dinner.

Although typically Hungarian, goulasch is still considered a staple meal in certain circles here in Austria. There are some "leftovers" (tee hee) from the Austro-Hungarian Empire that are just harder than others to...throw away. Such as:
                         1) Austrians are very proud of their distinct historical and cultural heritage

                         2) Austrians can sometimes be assholes about other people's cultures because they are so   

                          proud

                         3) Austrians still eat a lot of goulasch.

OK, so here I am, little miss vegetarian sitting in the land of Wiener Schnitzel and goulasch. I can't go out and try the "authentic" versions in a restaurant because they will all be chock full of meat...I want to experience real Austrian culture, but I have my principles! And plus, I find meat disgusting, if you want the honest truth. After 15+ years of being vegetarian (thanks, Mom!) I have no desire to eat *actual* beef stew or deep-fried pork.

Yet, I am feeling a bit left out. So I decided to make my own. Substituting potatoes (and more vegetables) for the meat.  From a recipe I found in Woman. See, the magazine was totally worth it!

I ended up serving it over rice, because, although you can serve it as a soup, I am getting sick of soup (first I made a garlic-cream soup - also an idea originating in Hungary - and then all I ate was broth when I had my cold...)

My other option would have been spaghetti. So, I think I made the right choice. I do not know how to make the noodley dumpling things they serve all over the place here: Spätzle, or Knödel or whatever else there is - like twelve varieties of potato- or egg-dumplings... Plus, you can buy premade ones at the grocery store, but they are way too salty (high blood pressure, anyone?) and I don't like them. Mom's are the best anyway :)

To serve with, because I am totally nuts about wine...and getting the best bang for your buck (or Euro, as the case may be...) I got this white Hungarian wine at the the grocery store - €1.99, dude! From the Lake Balaton region, which sounds nice.

Unfortuantely, once I tasted it, I discovered that "lieblich" means sweet. Like a dessert wine. Which does not go very well with goulasch. Did that stop me from enjoying it? Hell no. I just had to have a dessert then. Manner wafers do very nicely as a follow-up to goulasch...or just about anything.