Beef Goulash with Dumplings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon spicy Hungarian paprika
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram or oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onions, scatter the sugar over them, and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn deeply browned and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
2. If the onions begin to look too dry as they cook, turn the heat down.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and the ground toasted caraway seeds, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the sweet and spicy paprikas and toss everything together so the onions are well coated. Mix in the marjoram, thyme, and bay leaf, then cook for another 1 minute, just until the pan smells fragrant.
4. Work in the tomato paste. Pour in the vinegar and stock, then scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all those browned bits.
5. Add the cubed beef, then season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low so it settles into a simmer.
6. Cover the pan and cook, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender enough to fall apart, about 1 1/2 hours. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
7. For the dumplings, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the milk and melted butter, and stir gently until combined.
8. When the stew is tender, spoon the dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
9. Once the lid is on, leave it there while the dumplings cook. They need the trapped steam to stay airy; opening the pan lets that steam out and turns the cooking into boiling instead.
10. After 15 minutes, check the dumplings with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, they are ready.