12 Recipes Using Paprika

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large chicken, jointed (or use 2 large chicken legs and 2 breasts, halved)
• salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• knob butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika, or 1 tbsp each sweet and hot paprika
• 1 tbsp flour
• 285ml/½pint chicken stock
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• 2 red peppers, seeds removed and cut into 1cm/0.5in strips
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 250ml/8fl oz soured cream

METHOD

1. Rub the chicken pieces with salt. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan and brown the chicken all over for a few minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set to one side.
2. To the same pan, add the onions and garlic and sweat for about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, then the flour, and stir until combined – take care not to burn it.
3. Add the stock and stir. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, adding a bit more stock if the mixtures seem too dry. Add half of the parsley and bring to the boil. Add the red pepper strips, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer gently for about 1 hour.
4. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and the remaining parsley. Check the seasoning and serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 350g/12oz Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, grated finely
• dash of extra virgin olive oil
• paprika, for sprinkling

METHOD

1. The best result is achieved by peeling and de-seeding the cucumber before grating. Hang the grated cucumber in muslin cloth or a tea towel in order to squeeze out all the excess liquid, if you like.
2. Combine the yoghurt, cucumber, lemon juice and garlic. Add a dash of olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.

INGREDIENTS

• 100g/3½oz lard
• 1.25kg/2lb 12oz onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1½ tbsp hot paprika, to taste
• ½ tsp caraway seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 12 turns of the black pepper mill
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz shin of beef, cut into 3cm/1in pieces
• 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• soured cream, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat the lard in a large pot and fry the onions until they are deep golden brown. Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then add the tomato purée, paprikas, crushed caraway seeds, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar and cover with 1 litre/1¾ pints of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then add the beef. Turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 2½ hours. Check the pan fairly frequently and stir, adding more water to cover the meat if necessary. Check the meat for tenderness, if not tender add a little more water and cook for a little longer. Remove the meat when done and, if needed, continue to cook the liquid to thicken the sauce.
3. Serve sprinkled with a little chopped parsley with new potatoes, spatzle or dark rye bread. Top with a spoonful of soured cream

INGREDIENTS

• 400g/14oz pork fillet
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 tsp paprika
• 225g/8oz button chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 140ml/5fl oz carton soured cream
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• mashed potato

METHOD

1. Remove any membrane from the pork fillet and discard. Cut into thin strips about 1x6cm/½x2½in. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan until hot, add a little oil when very hot, then add the meat. Stir fry briskly until brown, if cooked really fast there should be no juices, but take care not to overcook. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a plate.
3. Put the butter in the pan, add the onions and cook over a low heat until the onions are really tender. Sprinkle in the paprika and stir in the mushrooms. Turn up the heat and toss for a minute.
4. Add the pork and cream to the pan and heat through. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
   Garnish with the parsley and serve the mashed potato alongside.

INGREDIENTS

• a good handful, chopped unsmoked bacon or pancetta
• 4 medium sized onions
• 3 small carrots
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ nutmeg, for grating
• 300g/10oz Puy lentils
• 500ml/1pint stock
• a handful parsley
• knob of butter
• 100g/4oz crème fraîche

METHOD

1. Cook the bacon or pancetta in a deep pan over a moderate heat to let the fat slowly ooze out . Roughly chop two of the onions and add them to the pan. Cut the carrots into chunks and add to the pan. Cover and let it steam for a few minutes. Add the paprika, cinnamon, then grate in ½ of the nutmeg. Add the lentils, stock and 500ml water, cover and leave for 30 minutes until the lentils have softened.
2. While that is slowly cooking, slice the remaining two onions and, in another pan, cook them very slowly in butter until golden brown. Finish with a grate of nutmeg.
3. The last thing to add to the lentils is a handful of chopped parsley. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and pile the caramelised onions on top.

INGREDIENTS

• lemon juice, to taste
• malt vinegar, to taste
• 20 x raw tiger prawns, shells on
• 1 Little Gem lettuce
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked
• cayenne pepper, to serve

For the sauce

• ½ lemon, juice only
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 5 tbsp tomato ketchup
• few drops Tabasco sauce
• 2 pinches smoked paprika
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp double cream
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

METHOD

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a squeeze of lemon and glug of vinegar. Add the whole prawns and cook until they rise to the surface. Drain and chill in ice-cold water.
2. Peel the cooled prawns, leaving one prawn whole per serving (for the garnish).
3. Cut the small Little Gem lettuce in half and place in ice-cold water to crisp it up.
4. For the sauce, mix all the sauce ingredients together.
5. To assemble the cocktails, drain the lettuce and pat dry with kitchen paper. Arrange two-thirds of the leaves in martini glasses or small bowls.
6. Shred the remaining leaves and add to a mixing bowl. Add the peeled prawns and spoonful of sauce. Top with the unpeeled prawn and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.

INGREDIENTS

• 1–2 tbsp oil
• 12 whole chicken pieces (legs or thighs), on the bone
• 1 chorizo sausage, sliced into 3mm/⅛in thick slices
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 red peppers, seeds removed, sliced
• 2–3 red chillies, seeds removed, chopped
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 litres/2½ pints chicken stock
• 400g/14oz paella rice
• 12 mussels or clams, (optional) cleaned, open and damaged shells discarded
• handful parsley, roughly chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
2. Heat the oil in a large, lidded, heatproof pan or paella pan. Fry the chicken until the pieces are evenly browned, turning them regularly as they cook. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. Fry the slices of chorizo in the pan until crisp. They will release their juices into the pan, which adds a lot of flavour to the dish. Add the onion to the pan, and cook gently until soft, then add the garlic and fry for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the red peppers, chillies and smoked paprika, cook for another 2–3 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and pour in the stock. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until the chicken is tender.
4. Add the rice to the pan, cover with the lid and put into the preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Alternatively, if using a paella pan which won’t fit in the oven, cover tightly with foil and continue cooking on the stove over a low heat for the same cooking time. If using mussels or clams, add them to the pan for the final 20 minutes cooking time. Discard any shells that remain closed after cooking. Check the chicken is cooked by piercing the thickest part of a piece with a skewer – if the juices run clear the chicken is cooked.
5. Sprinkle with parsley before bringing the pan to the table. Let your guests help themselves.

INGREDIENTS

• butter, for greasing
• 350g/12oz potatoes, chopped into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 1 medium cauliflower, broken into small florets
• 1 heaped tbsp cornflour
• 300ml/10fl oz pouring double cream
• 100g/3½oz gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp snipped chives
• 500g/1lb 2oz smoked haddock, skinned and cut into very large pieces
• large pinch paprika, or to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Butter a wide 3-litre/5¼-pint ovenproof dish.
2. Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with water. Add salt and bring to the boil. Boil for 4 minutes, add the cauliflower and boil for another 4 minutes. Drain well and tip into the prepared dish. Season with pepper.
3. Put the cornflour into a bowl, pour in the cream and whisk to combine. Season with pepper.
4. Scatter half the cheese over the potato and cauliflower. Scatter over the herbs and top with the haddock. Pour the cream mixture in between the cracks and over the top. Scatter over the remaining cheese and the paprika.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden-brown and bubbling.