Lamb paprikash

Ingredients:

• 1.2 kg of boneless veal shoulder or shank, cut into small pieces, or 1.2 kg of lamb shoulder or boneless leg meat
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Wheat flour for breading
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
• 3 chopped onions
• 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 2 - 3 large crushed garlic cloves
• 2 large fresh bay leaves
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 large chopped tomato
• 1.5 cups chicken broth (if using veal) or beef broth (if using lamb)
• 1.5 cups dry white wine (if using veal) or dry red wine (if using lamb)
• 1 tbsp. crème fraîche plus a few spoons for decoration
• 1/2 cup capers (drained brine) for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
   
   Bring the meat to room temperature. Pat it dry with paper towels, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat a little olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches and brown thoroughly on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add a little more olive oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and melt it. Add the onion and sauté until soft, 15-20 minutes.
   
   Add 3 tablespoons of paprika, cumin, garlic, bay leaves, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Stir and heat the mixture for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the broth and wine, then return the meat to the pan. Cover, place in the oven, and cook until the meat is tender, about 2 hours.
3. Transfer the meat to a platter and cover with foil. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce directly in the pan. Add the crème fraîche and cook until the sauce has reduced, 20-30 minutes. Return the meat to the pan. (If not serving immediately, cool the stew and refrigerate until ready to use. Reheat in the oven or over medium heat.) Just before serving, stir in the remaining teaspoon of paprika for added flavor.
   
   For garnish, fry capers in a little olive oil until crisp. Top the stew with a few spoonfuls of crème fraîche and the fried capers. (The green, red, and white colors represent the Hungarian flag.)
   
   Leftover stew can be used for lunch or with poached eggs.