Put in a large heavy soup pot:
30 ml olive oil
375 ml chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
Cook until soft, about five minutes. Add:
5 cloves (35 ml) minced garlic
1 bay leaf
Continue to cook for about one minute, then add:
1.5 kg stew beef, cut into 1-2 cm cubes
45 ml sweet Hungarian paprika
7 ml salt
2 ml ground black pepper
Stir and cook until the beef is browned, about five minutes. Stir in:
250 ml beef stock
45 ml tomato paste
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for about two hours, until the beef is tender. Remove the bay leaf and mix in thoroughly:
60 ml heavy cream
Serve immediately over egg noodles or spaetzle