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Make this goulash sauce today to make a hearty meal without having to wait for the stew to braise in the oven. Goulash has a humble beginning. Hundreds of years ago, cowherds in Hungary, in bands of five or six men, roamed the plains, following cows in their meandering fashion. These men cooked meals for themselves in big cauldrons, based on whatever they had at hand: lard, onions, grains, salt, and the chili peppers grown in the home gardens of Hungary, which we now call paprika. (This sweet paprika is different than the smoked paprika of Spain.) When a cow died, the herdsmen feasted on a beef stew made with these flavors. Since the herdsmen were called gulyás, the dish became known as goulash. Luckily, to make this sauce today, you don’t have to cart around a cauldron with you. Instead, you can make this sauce—with the traditional sweet heat of paprika and the unexpected umami of black garlic—then use it to cook sous vide short ribs. Pile those tender short ribs on a bed of noodles, pour on the remaining sauce, then add grilled peppers and sour cream. Hungry yet?