A gourmet date with tradition

The recipes this week are traditional ones from Vienna and both feature sweet Hungarian paprika as a key ingredient. The recipes shared by my friends, Erich and Gabi Radinger, are for liptauer spread and goulash soup (gulaschsuppe).

Erich trained as a goldsmith and jeweller in Vienna before coming to Australia in 1981; he now works in Green Square, Kingston. These much-loved family recipes have been handed down from his mother (Mutti). His Australian-born wife Gabi has embraced Viennese cuisine, too.

Liptauer is a tasty cottage cheese spread that is a popular snack with rye bread, pumpernickel or pretzels. It is usually served along with the most recent vintage in the taverns in Austria's wine growing region. You can vary the ingredients to your liking.

The goulash soup is an old traditional recipe dating from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It can be eaten for a casual meal accompanied by bread and a glass of beer. The soup is very easy to make and is a great restorative dish to have in the cold weather.

Before you try these recipes be sure your sweet Hungarian paprika is fresh and brightly coloured.

Diana Lampe is a Canberra writer, dlampe@bigpond.net.au

Mutti's liptauer

200g farm cheese at room temperature

100g unsalted butter, softened

½ small white or brown onion, finely chopped

2-4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 squirt of anchovy paste (about ¼ tsp), or anchovy, finely chopped, or salt

1 tsp Austrian tarragon mustard or Dijon mustard

1 and ½ to 2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 scant tbsp capers, chopped

¼-½ tsp caraway seeds, lightly pounded (optional)

1 small bunch chives, finely cut, to sprinkle

Beat the cheese and butter together in a food processor or by hand in a bowl. Add the onion, garlic, anchovy paste or salt, mustard, paprika, capers and the caraway seeds, if using. Taste and make any adjustments to taste.

Tip the liptauer into a serving dish or shape into a mound, then cover and chill for a couple of hours or overnight for the flavours to intermingle. Sprinkle with paprika and snipped chives and serve as a spread with rye bread and fresh pretzels (if available) and enjoy with a glass of crisp white wine.

Note: If you are unable to find fresh farm cheese at your local deli, substitute with cottage cheese that has been drained and passed through a sieve. Alternatively you can make it yourself. Don't use ricotta as it is too sweet.

Erich's goulash soup (Gulaschsuppe)

Serves 4-6

500g onions, chopped

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1½ tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 small chilli or hot paprika to taste (optional)

500g gravy beef, cut into bite-sized dice

½ tsp caraway seeds

sea salt to taste

2-3 cups water or stock

500g kipfler potatoes cut into 1cm dice

Fry the onion in the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat until soft and starting to turn golden.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the paprika, optional chilli and a splash of water. Return to the heat and add the meat, caraway seeds and salt. Cover and stew the meat in the juices over very low heat for 40 minutes or longer until the meat is nearly tender.

Add the water or stock and bring to the boil, then add the cubed potatoes. Simmer, covered, for about another 30 minutes or until the meat and potatoes are tender. The soup improves with keeping in the fridge for a day or two. Serve steaming hot in bowls with bread and a glass of beer.

Variations: Some people add a tablespoon of tomato paste at the same time as the meat. Serve a small spoonful of sour cream in each bowl of soup if you like.