Nothing keeps you warmer on a cold winter night than a bowl of paprika soup, which is a variation of the popular Hungarian goulash. Since “hot” paprika is hard to find, I bring up the heat by adding small dried red chiles, rather than adding a lot of paprika which can make the soup excessively sweet. Traditionally, sour cream would never be served with this soup by any central or eastern European, but I think it adds a creaminess makes a nice finishing touch.

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, diced

• 1/4 cup paprika

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 pound boneless chuck or sirloin beef, trimmed and cut into ½ to 1-inch cubes

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups beef broth (4 cups if not using the beer)

• 1 12-ounce can dark beer (optional)

• 4 to 6 dried red chiles, such as piquins, chiltepins, tepins, or japones

• 1 medium potato, diced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

• Salt to taste

• Sour cream for garnish

Instructions

Slowly saute the bacon in a large heavy skillet to render the fat. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel.

In a large bowl combine 2 tablespoons of the paprika and one half of the pepper with flour. Add the beef, toss to coat, remove and shake off the excess flour. Add the beef to the skillet and quickly brown. Remove the beef as it becomes browned and put it in a heavy stock pot.

Add the onions and garlic to the skillet, adding a little vegetable oil if necessary, and saute until they are browned. Remove and add to the pot with the beef.

Deglaze the pan by adding a cup of the broth to the skillet, raising the heat, and bringing it to a boil and scraping the sides and bottom of the skillet to remove all the browned bits and pieces in the pan. Pour the mixture in with the beef.

Add the remaining broth and the beer, if using, chiles, potato, carrot, caraway seeds, vinegar, and tomato paste. Also stir in the remaining paprika, black pepper and reserved bacon. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are done and the meat is very tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Add more broth if necessary to thin to the desired consistency.

To serve, ladle the soup into individual soup bowls, garnish with a dollop of sour cream and serve.

This is a rich soup that is definitely for those who aren’t counting their calories. It’s important that this soup does not come to a boil after adding the cheese or it may curdle and break. I serve this soup garnished with tortilla chips, like a more substantial version of the popular tortilla soup found all over Mexico. Serve with a flour tortilla in place of bread or crackers.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1/4 cup diced bell pepper

• 2 cloves garlic

• 3 teaspoons dry mustard

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth

• 1 12-ounce can beer, optional

• 4 to 6 green New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped

• 1 15-ounce can peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped

• 1 15-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, drained

• ½ cup half and half cream

• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

• Salt to taste

• Garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro

• Tortilla chips

Instructions

Melt the butter in a heavy stockpot or saucepan and saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until softened. Stir in the mustard and flour and heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to cook the flour but being careful it doesn’t brown.

Add the broth, beer if using, green chiles, tomatoes, and beans. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes to thicken.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream and cheese until the cheese has melted. Return the pot and simmer until reheated.

Serve in a tureen or in individual soup bowls garnished with cilantro and a couple of tortilla chips.

Since Chile has a 2600-mile coastline, I would be remiss if I didn’t include a fish recipe from that country. There is a minimum of grazing land in Chile, so instead of beef being the major source of protein, it is fish and shellfish. The wines of Chile are quite good, so be sure to include a nice chilled Chilean white wine when you serve this Chilean ceviche. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds halibut fillets or substitute sole or flounder

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup fresh orange juice

• 1 cup chopped onions

• 2 teaspoons Caribbean-style habanero sauce

• 1 fresh ají chile, seeds and stem removed, sliced into rings, or substitute yellow wax hot or jalapeño

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

• Garnishes: tomato wedges and cilantro sprigs

Instructions

Cut the fillets into 1 inch pieces, place them in a ceramic bowl, cover with the fruit juices, and toss them lightly to coat.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix gently. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight. Drain off some of the juice and arrange the fillets on lettuce leaves on 4 individual plates and garnish with the tomatoes and the cilantro.