William Penn Life, 2008 (43. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2008-06-01 / 6. szám
íhe Kítcheo Dinner for 4 Hungarian Paprika Potato Soup 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into I -inch cubes I tablespoon olive oil 1 medium white onion, finely chopped 4 cups chicken broth 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill I tablespoon Hungarian mild paprika I teaspoon Hungarian hot paprika I teaspoon celery seeds 'A teaspoon salt 'A teaspoon black pepper I cup milk Boil the potatoes in water until they are soft; drain and set aside. In a stockpot, heat the oil, then sauté the onion until transparent. Stir in the chicken broth and turn down heat so the soup simmers. Add the dill, paprikas, celery seeds, salt and black pepper, then gently stir. Add the milk and simmer for another five minutes. Serve hot with a crusty rye bread. used to dry the peppers, turning them into dried pods. The pods were then crushed by foot and finally by mortar and pestle into a fine powder. The best areas for paprika in Hungary are Kalocsa and Szeged, both located in southern region. Capsaicin is the active component in chili peppers that cause an irritating burning sensation when they are consumed. It is also used in pharmaceutical applications as a pain reliever. To get real hot paprika, the seeds and veins are both crushed. A milder tasting paprika is obtained by removing the seeds and veins. In the old days, this process took time and made the product a bit more expensive due to more labor. The Pally brothers from Szeged invented a way to remove the seeds and veins which allowed for mass production of the sweet powder. More people use the sweet over the hot variety. Actually, there are eight types of Hungarian paprika: • Special Quality (Különleges) is the mildest tasting and has the best red color of all the powdered products. • Delicate (csíposmentes csemege) is a mild paprika with great flavor and color. • Exquisite Delicate (csemege paprika) is a little stronger than the delicate variety. • Pungent Exquisite Delicate (csípős csemege) is just like the exquisite delicate with a little more kick. • Noble Sweet (édesnemes) is the most common type, slightly pungent with a bright red color. • Half Sweet (félédes) is a medium pungent in taste with good color. • Rose (rózsa) is light red in color and mildly hot. • Hot (erős) is the hottest and light brown orange in color. Cooking with paprika gives you a few options. The "Hungarian Trinity" consists of lard, onions and paprika used in a lot of Magyar dishes. Paprika is used mostly in the powder form and added to meats, stews and vegetable dishes. Paprika can be smoked for additional flavor. In fact, paprika releases most of its flavor when heated. You can cut the fresh peppers and put them in salads, homemade relish or use them as a food garnish. They also can be pickled and kept for future use. Paprika also comes in a paste form, Eros Pista, which is the hot, spicy paprika, and Édes Anna, the sweeter version preferred by most. Paprika has a unique flavor which can be used in many ways, making it a spice that should be in every kitchen. On the healthy side, paprika is very high in vitamin C. In 1937 Albert Szent-Györyi won a Nobel Prize for discovering the vitamin in paprika. The capsicum peppers contain nine times more vitamin C than tomatoes by weight. Daily use of paprika has normalized blood pressure while improving your body's circulation. It also aids in the digestive process by increasing saliva and gastric juices which break down your food. It is also an antibacterial agent and stimulant that keeps your body working properly. At one time paprika was used as a cure for intermittent fever. The dishes most commonly associated with paprika are paprikás csirke, kolbász, krumpli paprikás, paprikás szalonna, gulyás, pörkölt, Hungarian sauerkraut, székely gulyás and töltött káposzta. You can find the hot and sweet versions of paprika in most food stores and Hungarian butcher shops. If you want to get the other types, try on-line European specialty food websites for best results. Now you all know more about the wonderful spice paprika. I tip my chef's toque to all and leave you recipes you can make using paprika. Next month we will learn about the berries of summer and how you can use them in many culinary ways. Trivia answer: Kadarka is the red grape used to make the famous Hungarian wine Bikavér (Bull's Blood) and enhances the best taste of paprika in Hungarian dishes. Have a great month! Jo ftgzafaos d M* "The Hungarian Kitchen" is a trademark of William S. Vasvary. William Penn Life, June 2008 9
