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By Doreen Colondres
Editor’s Note: Doreen Colondres is a chef and founder of the Viti House Wine School in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also is the author of La Cocina No Muerde (2015, Penguin Random House). Her homepage is thekitchendoesntbite.com.
Paprika is often associated with its frequent appearance on top of hummus, Spanish-style grilled octopus and deviled eggs. But, which type of paprika is used on each dish? Even though they may seem the same, they all bring a very different aroma and flavor.
Doreen Colondres
We may recognize paprika, but truly understanding its diversity is another level. It is more than a garnish, it encompasses a spectrum of flavors, from sweet and smoky to robust and savory. The only thing they all share is that they all originates from dried peppers. Here is a bit of background on the most common ones:
Basic Paprika: The paprika you see in all supermarkets, which simply says "Paprika" on the label, is mild, and although it will add color, the flavor will be delicate to none, depending on the quality. I use it for hummus, chimichurri, and for ground beef when I make Argentine empanadas. It's not spicy or smoky. Truly, the goal here is color, and very little flavor.
Hungarian Paprika: It is not as common as the regular paprika, but it’s a national staple in Hungary and one of the world’s most famous spices. Hungarian paprika traditionally comes in different flavor and color profiles, ranging from delicate and sweet to smoked, pungent and hot. The most common and easiest to find outside of Hungary is a bright red variety called édesnemes, which has a pungent pepper flavor and sweetness.
Spanish Paprika: dulce (sweet), agridulce (bittersweet), or picante (hot). A staple of the Mediterranean diet and of course, my favorite! Labeled as “pimentón ahumado," Spanish smoked paprika is commonly made with smoked peppers, adding a deeper, smokier flavor and aroma to the table. The heat and sweetness levels in Spanish paprika vary based on the blend of peppers used.
The best one to buy, the “Pimentón de la Vera”. Believe it or not, these chiles came in the 1500s straight from Latin America (Perú & Bolivia) to a monastery in La Vera in Cáceres, Spain. Jaranda, jariza, jeromín and bola are the chiles responsible for creating this fascinating high antioxidant powder. The traditional and slow (10-15 days) dry-smoked process is all natural, then the chiles are immediately converted into a high quality powder.
Today this red gold has a protected denomination of origin (PDO) in Spain and I assure you will fall in love with it. This is the one used to add color and flavor to most of the chorizos and other dry-cured products in Spain and the one I use for octopus, chickpeas, lemon potatoes, yogurt-herb chicken and even for my eggs in the morning.
Try them all and start noticing the difference on your recipes.
Click here for Chef Colondres' recipe for Shrimp and Scallops over Creole Hummus with Paprika
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