The Hungarian cuisines are as just sailing on flavors cruise through the waves on the gastronomy history of Europe.
Upon the era of Habsburg influence culture and gastronomy during – Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in the 17th century added tastes into the Hungarian kitchen and the Austrian cuisine often became into play visa-versa.
The influence beyond no doubt in gastronomy from the time of the Austo-monarchy turning around in the Hungarian meals. Still today the below meals are very popular for the Hungarian restaurants and in homemade kitchen. In addition to the various regional specialties, the Hungarian menu offers many dishes, as an influence from different countries such as Austria, the former monarchy. There was so much going along in Hungary’s history that even often the Hungarians themselves don’t have a clue where their favorite food comes from. Indeed the Hungarian people are especially masters of presenting different cultural influences on a plate. Foreigners and tourists may consider many recipes and foods typically Hungarian – country-specific – that’s right in a way, but they could never have been created without the appropriate Austrian intercultural effects.
For Instance… For the Hungarians beside many other inherited cuisine with the spread of Wiener schnitzel made it’s way into homemade foodies and restaurants throughout Hungary. But let’s start with the soup …The famous Tafelspitz was also taken into Hungarian gastronomy. Especially fond of the beef meat soup. … Cooking meat (instead of baking) is an ancient cooking process. But to cook beef exclusively is already an Austrian invention, namely the XV. century. The Viennese at that time liked the meat of the Hungarian fattening ox the most. A piece of meat cut from the back of these animals by proper technique was also called Tafelspitz due to the thin layer of fat surrounding the meat.
The “Tafelspitz” (Marhahúsleves) is considered as a national dish of our neighbor country Austria and is equally popular in Hungary especially in the wintertime having to warm up with the rich tasty soup.
Preparation time 120 – 140 minutes – Ingredients for 4 persons – Meat soup (broth), in Hungary it is typically made with chicken (chicken soup – tyukhúsleves), or beef (beef soup – marhahúsleves). The slower you cook, the more parts of the meat you use and the more bony parts you use – the better it will get. Recipe: 1 big piece of beef and/or beef bones for beef soup, 1 full chicken for a chicken soup, 2 carrots (don’t put too much it will make the soup too sweet, 1 celeriac root, 1 parsnip , 1 onion with the outer leaves (it gives nice color to the soup , some people like the cooked onion but if not leave it). 1 tomato ,1 Hungarian sweet yellow pepper, 2 Chili’s if you like a little kick, salt and peppercorns just season. Cooking: Add the meat pork bones cover them with water cook slowly for an hour. Add your vegetables according to their cooking time. Seasoning is limited to salt and peppercorn. While cooking take off the foam from the top from time to time. You have to make sure you filter and strain it well.
Good to know … one of the local favorit here the Chicken soup – Újházi tyúkhúsleves (was named after Újházi Ede a famous actor of the 19th century.) He liked his hen soup extremely rich with a lot of meat and fines strips of homemade pasta, plus carrots, celery, mashroom and green peas.) Good to know … the boiled beef in broth, (Főtt marhahús) is popular here to place aside and after eating the soup and eat he beef meat with horseradish.
The“Viennese schnitzel” (Bécsi szelet) was originally not from Vienna but from Venice-Italy.
Italian chefs already in the XVI. century, roasted meat into breadcrumbs, and indeed the Jewish population of Constantinople probably even earlier roasted that way. Legend say that the Viennese schnitzel arrived in Austria in 1857, thanks to the Austrian General Radetzky. Subsequently, in imperial times, the food was further refined to become what we know today as the Viennese schnitzel, and one of the most popular and made its way into main course throughout Hungary. As the legacy of centuries the two countries have been as one: deep fried meat is number one main dish in Hungary. Can be prepared from pork or as here in Hungary often from poultry or veal meat.
Preparation time: 60 mins. – Ingredients to 2-4 persons – Recipe : 4 big slice of pork or veal medaillons (about 150-200g each), 4 eggs, 250 g flour, salt, pepper, 250 g breadcrumbs, oil for deep-frying. Cooking: Prepare and tenderize the meat to thin slices. Salt and pepper then turn both sides first in flour.Then dip them in the salted beaten eggs. Finally coat with the breadcrumbs. Heat enough oil to cover the slices in a pan util very hot, then fry both sides until golden brown (just takes a couple of minutes) don’t let it get dark brown as it will become dry. Just a tip… it is also very popular to coat precooked cauliflower and mashrooms and roll them on in breadcumbs and deep fry.
Good to Know .. The food was first described in a cookbook in the 19th century. Yet many assume the food “Cotoletta alla milanese” from the middle age is pretty much the same … so we are talking about an Italian dish that became in top seller in Austria and Hungary alike.
Not only for sweeties lovers, worth to give it a try when in Hungary
“Kaiserschmarrn” (Csásármorzsa).
The Austrian desserts have lived through the centuries and welcomed the sweet tooth individuals both in Austria and Hungary. It is a substantial dish, usually served as a main course even though it is sweet and is basically pancake batter prepared like scrambled eggs. There are two ways to prepare this meal: the labor-intensive way, on top of the stove or the lazy way made in the oven.
Preparation time: 40 minutes – Recipe for 4 persons – Ingredients: 200 g grits, 15 g flour, 250 ml milk, 5-6 eggs separated, 200 g sugar, 2 tbsp raisins, for baking 20 g butter. Cooking: Mix the grits and the flour with the milk. Stir it well. Add raisins and let the mixture rest for one hour to let the grits absorb the milk. After one hour whip the eggs yorks with the sugar and add it to the mixture. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt and add this to the mixture as well. Melt the butter in a pan and pour ove the mixture. Heat should be low. Stir with a wooden spoon until it falls apart to smaller pieces. This might take up to 10 or 20 mins. depending on the strength of the cooker. Serve it warm, sprinkle with sugar, jam or maple syrup. Usually served with apricot jam or castor sugar, but naturally stewed fruit, but make enhanced taste by adding vanilla or rum to the milk at the outset.
Good to know … Well known the Austrian German name for the dish is Kaiser-schmarrn – Kaiser meaning “emperor” and the “Schmarrn” nonsence. Generally the dish was 1st prepared for the Austrian Emperor Franscis Joseph (1830-1916).
© Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 