Page 86 - 201415_TOH_Cookbook

ELSIE (WELKER)
THOMAS’
GOULASH
BURDICK FAMILY, IPSWICH, MA
“Great Grandma Thomas used to make this dish in the 1930s and it’s been in the family ever since. Her version is spicier than the version found on the North Shore of Boston, where they call it American Chop Suey. Back around 1914, it was more like the Hungarian Herdsman’s Stew (gulyás), but by the Great Depression, Elsie and the rest of the country were using ground beef rather than the cubed steak used in the original. For a variation, mushrooms make a good addition to the recipe.” Dakin Burdick
PREPARATION
1. In a bowl using your hands, thor- oughly mix together the ingredients for the meat mixture.
2. To make the macaroni: In a large saucepan over high heat, cook the bacon and onion until the bacon is crisp and the onion is soft. Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, salt and pepper.
3. Mix the meat into the macaroni, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the meat is nearly cooked through, about 20 minutes. Turn the heat off, keep the pot covered and let the dish steam until the meat is cooked through, about 10 more minutes.
fffINGREDIENTS
Serves 4 to 6
Meat mixture: 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground ham 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup soda cracker crumbs, such as
Saltines 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper 3 tablespoons paprika
Macaroni: 8 ounces bacon, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 6 cups canned tomatoes (about three
15-ounce cans) 1 pound cooked macaroni 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
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