Paprika
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This is a spice that's ground from dried sweet red peppers – both mild and hot – and comes labelled as such. In this case hot does not really mean chilli-hot, but more piquant, so have no fear.
It is made in Hungary and used extensively in Hungarian and Austrian dishes (in wonderful pepper-scented stews such as goulash or chicken paprika). The Spanish also produce paprika and it turns up in many of their recipes – the famous chorizo sausage is made with it. Recently Spain has been producing smoked paprika from dried smoked peppers, and this has added a whole new dimension to this particular spice.
Once again, remember the rule: buy in small quantities and replace frequently. If you can't find it in supermarkets, smoked pimentón is available from two of Delia's favourite stockists, The Spice Shop and Brindisa.
Serves 4Marinated Mushrooms with Garlic and Smoked Pimentón Mayonnaise
Veggies will love this recipe – marinating mushrooms adds masses of flavour. Serve them with a sweet-spice pimenton mayonnaise for dipping.
Serves 2Chicken Paprika
With soured cream and paprika, this popular dish – one of your favourites on the site – owes more than a little to a Hungarian goulash. A real winner for those who love wintry, one-pot dishes packed with flavour!
Serves 4Ten-minute Goulash
How can it be, you might ask? Well, if you cut out the meat browning process you can make this in just 10 minutes – and won’t even notice the difference! A hearty, spicy one-pot meal for a cold day…
Serves 2A Sort of Chicken Basque
Hard to believe, but in just 15 minutes and with the help of a jar of roasted red and yellow pepper sauce, you can put together this classic Basque dish of chicken, peppers, onions, olives and chorizo - one-pot cooking at its best.
Serves 6Lentil and Vegetable Curry
Lentils and other pulses are invaluable if you need to eat cheaply - not only do they fill you up but they are also an important source of pure protein and less expensive than chicken or meat. This spicy veggie curry is a good example…
