Hungarian Mushroom and Potato Ragout (Gomba Paprikás with Potatoes)

1.Clean and slice the mushrooms. Prepare the onions, garlic, and dice the potatoes into uniform 1-inch cubes.

2.In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil. Add the diced onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent (about 5-7 minutes).

3.Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until the tomato paste slightly caramelizes.

4.Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the sweet and hot paprika powders and the cumin. Stir quickly to ensure the paprika does not burn, which would make it bitter.

5.Add the prepared mushrooms to the pot and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. The mushrooms will release moisture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the liquid has almost entirely evaporated (about 5-8 minutes).

6.Deglaze the pot with the white wine and allow it to reduce almost completely.

7.Pour in the 500 ml of vegetable broth and add the diced potatoes. Bring the ragout to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

8.After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

9.In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream (or crème fraîche) with a few spoonfuls of the hot ragout sauce to temper it and prevent curdling. Stir the tempered sour cream mixture carefully into the ragout. Do not allow the ragout to boil after adding the sour cream.

10.Serve the mushroom and potato ragout immediately and hot, garnished generously with fresh parsley. Traditionally served with dumplings (Nockerln/Spätzle) or crusty bread.