Paprika Potatoes

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This is a kind of creamy potato stew, often served as a side dish to accompany roasted meats. It’s also an excellent “comfort food” for cold winter evenings.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter or lard

  • 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tablespoons Hungarian mild or medium-hot paprika

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

  • 2 pounds new potatoes (or 6 to 8 medium-size boiling potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 1-1/2 to 2 cups warm chicken stock

  • 1 cup pure sour cream (containing no additives)

Instructions

Melt the butter or lard in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over medium-high heat until they are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Reduce heat to very low and stir in paprika, salt, and caraway seeds. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the potatoes and enough warm chicken stock to barely cover them. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Stir in the sour cream and serve immediately.

 

Green Beans with Paprika

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This sinfully rich dish is typical of the way that vegetables were prepared in the past, before anyone cared about cholesterol. Serve these creamy beans as an accompaniment to simple roasted meats.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter or lard

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons mild Hungarian paprika (or 1 teaspoon each mild and hot paprika)

  • 1 pound fresh green beans, cut diagonally into 1- 1/2-inch slices

  • 2/3 cup water

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup pure sour cream (containing no additives)

  • 1 tablespoon flour

Instructions

Heat the butter or lard in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until golden. Sprinkle paprika over the onion and stir to mix well. Add the green beans and stir until all the pieces are coated with paprika. Stir in water and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan tightly, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until beans are tender. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and flour until mixture is smooth. Stir the sour cream into beans and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. Serve hot.

 

Paprika Mushrooms

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In Hungary, this dish is served over toasted bread or rolls, or accompanied by dumplings or plain rice. It can also be a rich side dish to accompany roasted chicken or pork. To save preparation time, slice the mushrooms with an egg slicer.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter or lard

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms (champignons, or a mixture of several kinds of mushrooms), cleaned and thinly sliced

  • 1 large garlic clove, minced

  • 1 rounded tablespoon Hungarian mild or medium-hot paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup pure sour cream (containing no additives)

Instructions

Melt the butter or lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they are translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic, stirring until they are well-coated with the melted fat.

Reduce the heat to very low, sprinkle the paprika over the ingredients in the skillet, and stir to mix well. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to turn soft.

Stir in the salt and sour cream. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes longer, just until the sour cream is warm. Do not let the mixture boil.

Serve immediately.

 

Csírkepaprikás (Paprika Chicken)

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My husband is an excellent cook of Hungarian foods. Following is his personal recipe for Paprika Chicken, a very refined version of this classic dish. Serve accompanied by egg noodles, plain rice, or boiled potatoes. In Hungary, this dish is traditionally served with small egg dumplings called galuska.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons corn oil*

  • 2 tablespoons butter*

  • 2-1/2 to 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 rounded tablespoon medium-hot paprika

  • 2 tablespoons hot paprika

  • 2 rounded tablespoons mild paprika

  • 2 tablespoons brandy

  • 3/4 cup chicken stock

  • 1/3 to cup sour cream

  • Salt to taste

*(Or substitute a total of 5 tablespoons lard or rendered goose fat, for the entire recipe.)

Instructions

Heat the oil and butter (or lard/goose fat) in a large (4- to 6-quart) heavy stove-top casserole. Brown the chicken pieces over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Add the chopped onions to the casserole and saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to very low, stir in all the paprika, and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add brandy; stir to deglaze the pan. Add the browned chicken pieces and mix well. Add the chicken stock and stir.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Bring the liquid in the casserole to a boil over high heat, and reduce the liquid by about one-third. Turn the heat to low, and slowly stir in the sour cream, until the sauce is smooth. Add salt to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Chicken Paprikash

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This is one of the classic paprika recipes from Hungary. But sure to use only imported paprika in this dish, or the flavor will not be the same. It is traditionally cooked with lard or goose fat and served with dumplings. Serve over egg noodles, plain rice, or boiled potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons corn oil

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 rounded tablespoon medium-hot paprika

  • 1 tablespoon hot paprika

  • 1 whole fresh long red chile , such as New Mexican

  • 2 rounded tablespoons mild paprika

  • 2-1/2 to 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons brandy

  • 3/4 cup chicken stock

  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup sour cream

  • Salt (to taste)

Instructions

Heat the oil and butter in a large (4- to 6-quart) heavy stove-top casserole. Brown the chicken pieces over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Add the chopped onions to the casserole and saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to very low, stir in all the paprika, and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add brandy; stir to deglaze the pan. Add the browned chicken pieces and mix well. Add the chicken stock and whole hot red pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Bring the liquid in the casserole to a boil over high heat, and reduce the liquid by about one-third. Turn the heat to low, and slowly stir in the sour cream, until the sauce is smooth. Add salt to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.