Hungarian Paprika

[CharlieD]

I don't see the need to wait for wheather change. Paprika never leaves my table. it is good any time, on any foods.

[Claire]

The paprika I have was purchased by a friend in Hungary, but was probably a product meant to be given as gifts. Sweet, Hot, and Smoked. Maybe there is another word for the latter. I love using it in soups and stews, and especially in cabbage rolls I make once a year.

[Claire]

I use paprika in a number of dishes, yes, in barbecues and on grilled foods. But I use more of it in the winter, in home made soups, stews, and of course, cabbage rolls. So I do tend to identify it more with winter food (I live in a 4-seasons state). Then I use a LOT of it. Can you believe I grew up in a family where it was just a condiment that was used for appearances. No flavor at all, just to put some red coloring on things like cream cheese in celery sticks, or devilled eggs. I didn't learn that paprika had flavor until I was over 30. I was cooking with a sister a few years back, and she was still suffering from that misunderstanding. I grabbed some paprika from my collection and gave her a taste. Oh my goodness. She was shocked.

[mitmondol]

Claire, yes it's a shame how little people know about paprika.On the other hand, the stuff you can buy in stores here...let me just say I do not use it.
Those boxes probably have been sitting on the shelves for years (since nobody buys them) and taste like sawdust.
I get mine from Hu, but of course I realize that would not be available for everyone.
Still, mail ordering from a Hu store would be better.
Back to the names, as I said there is NO smoked paprika in Hu.
That's Spanish.
I'm glad you discovered how great paprika is.

[buckytom]

mitmondol, i did a quick search and it appears that you're right. i tried to find "smoked hungarian paprika", and i came up with a lot of recipes, but no places selling actual smoked paprika imported from hungary. the only brand that i found online, i think, is from the united states. i'm not sure how that makes it hungarian.

thanks for the clarification and info!

i remember my mom often used paprika just for colouring, like on the skin of a roast chicken, and probably never new that it was one of the secrets of why her food tastes so good.

i vaguely remember her using a tin of "pride of szeged" hungarian paprika. same goes for my mil, who was from slovakia.

i use it in my dry rubs for just about everything, and like my mom, adds a little extra color as well as dimension to the flavor.

[mitmondol]

Tom, I better be right! I'm from Hungary!
Glad you like it, needless to say I love paprika!
And there is a lot more to do with it. Maybe a should give you guys a little "tutorial" on cooking with paprika..

[CharlieD]

Please do.

[mitmondol]

I will when I have a bit more time.
Right now I'm cooking something called Lecso.
It is basically onions, peppers and tomato, but of course, with paprika.

I will come back a little later with the recipe.

[CharlieD]

I love Lecho (that is what we called back in Russia), please post that recipe too.

[mitmondol]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner.
Here it is Charlie:

3 slices bacon cut into small pieces
2 onions
2 lbs peppers (I use the small pale yerllow chiles), cut into rings
4 large, very ripe tomatoes, cut into 8th
salt
2 tsp paprika
smoked sausage (I use hot Linguisa, comes closest in flavor to Hu sausage),cut into rings

Render the bacon, but don't crisp.
Add the peppers, salt and let cook until they let some of their liquid out.
Add tomatoes and cook over moderate heat.
When there is some juice from the tomatoes sprinkle with paprika and stir it in.
Let it cook slowly, until peppers are soft and tomatoes almost cooked down
into a sauce.(you still want bits and pieces of the tomatoes)
Add sausage rings and cook a few minutes longer.
If tomatoes are not sweet enough, can add a pinch of sugar to cut the tartness.
I like it just as it is, but can be served with boiled rice. Some people cook the rice in it. Others add a whisked egg at the end and finish cooking when the egg sets.

Wouldn't use bell peppers for this ,they are too watery, the greens are too bitter, reds are too sweet.