sel et sucre

Tag: paprika

  • Turkish Red Lentil Soup

    turkish red lentil soup

    I’ve been really enjoying red lentils lately. They fall apart when cooked which can help thicken soups and stews, and they’re great at absorbing flavors. They’re a fundamental piece of this Turkish red lentil soup which tastes amazingly complex for a dish with so few ingredients. I haven’t eaten a lot of Turkish food, and I was skeptical at first of the combination of paprika, cumin, mint, and sumac, but the flavors work perfectly together. Rich and hearty but with a freshness from the herbaceous mint and tart sumac, this soup would be a great start to a meal or a filling meal in and of itself.

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  • Ethiopian Berbere

    ethiopian berbere

    Growing up in DC (home to the largest Ethiopian population outside of Ethiopia), I’ve gotten used to a city with a plethora of cheap and delicious Ethiopian restaurants. My favorite place is a mere half mile from me and offers up a vegetarian platter big enough for two or three people for ten dollars. So it’s understandably difficult for me to motivate myself to try cooking Ethiopian food. But I might not be in this city forever, and the flavorful filling stews and spongy sour bread has become somewhat of a comfort food for me so I recently decided to try my hand at making them. The very first step in cooking delicious Ethiopian food is the spicy and fragrant spice mix known as berbere. This deep red mixture is vaguely reminiscent of Indian garam masala with warm sweeter spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg playing a role on top of spicy chiles, cumin, fenugreek, cardamom, and coriander. Berbere adds a large amount of paprika to these spices for a unique and unmistakable flavor that serves as the base for many different Ethiopian stews.

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  • Sausage and Lentil Stew

    sausage and lentil stew

    We’ve had a surprisingly mild winter in DC this year. Not that I’m complaining – I much prefer warmer weather. But now we’re gearing up for a cold February, and I’m trying to take solace in soups and stews. This hearty stew combines sausage, lentils, and cabbage for something that keeps me warm and full. In this recipe, I rely mostly on the sausage providing the spicing for the stew, but if you’re using less flavorful sausage, feel free to toss in some extra spices (add them at the same time as the minced garlic). You can take this stew in a lot of different directions, and I think cajun spice mix, chili powder, or herbs de provence would all work well.

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  • Coffee-Rubbed Pulled Brisket

    coffee-rubbed pulled brisket

    After making pulled pork recently, I felt inspired to create a similar recipe using brisket. I love the combination of roasted coffee notes with beef, and I managed to get my hands on some smoked salt which, in addition to the smoked paprika, added great smoky notes. The inclusion of lemon zest is crucial to brightening the flavors (as the intense flavors of the coffee and smoked spices can feel a bit muddied without it). The rub I used here is very simple, but you could experiment with adding more spices; I think I might include cumin and oregano next time or use my chili powder instead of ancho chile powder. I served this pulled brisket with a quick oil and vinegar slaw (too simple for a recipe – just combine 1/2 head shredded cabbage with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper).

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  • Cajun Spice Mix

    cajun spice mix

    I’ve mentioned my love of smoked paprika before, so when I realized that this cajun spice mix was mostly smoked paprika, I knew I had to make it. Besides the paprika, there are a lot of different flavors going on here, including basil, oregano, and a good dose of cayenne pepper, and together they’re the perfect combination for any gumbos, jambalayas, or other cajun dishes you might wish to make. I’ll be posting two recipes of my own using this mix on Wednesday and Friday.

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  • Pulled Pork

    pulled pork

    When I started looking for a slow cooker pulled pork recipe, I thought at first that I was doomed to heavily douse a pork shoulder in barbecue sauce and call it a day. But then I found this amazing recipe which instead uses a spice rub and only a minimal amount of liquid, with outstandingly flavorful and tender results. There’s even a little smokiness from the smoked paprika (using smoked salt in the rub and/or a dash of liquid smoke in the slow cooker could get you even more). And there’s all the slow cooker beauty here of getting it started in the morning and coming home to a fragrant house and dinner ready to be served. For a few days, I ate this pulled pork with everything – with eggs for breakfast, on top of salad for lunch, with beans for dinner, and plain for a snack.

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  • Mushroom, Cannellini, and Tomato Stew

    mushroom cannelini and tomato stew

    Does this stew today look a little extra appealing? That’s because I was lucky enough to be the recipient of a digital SLR camera as a holiday present from my boyfriend and parents (aw, they collaborated!). Hopefully this means I’ll be better able to represent my food from here on out, starting with this hearty stew.

    Filling, delicious, and simple to make, this stew is filled with satisfying chunks of mushroom and white beans. I changed up the spicing from the original recipe, opting to go for a hefty dose of smoked paprika (one of my favorite spices) as I find the smoky flavor is a great complement to the fresh parsley. I was surprised at how much some freshly grated gruyere (parmesan would work also) helped to elevate the whole dish (although it is still quite tasty without for a vegan option). I’m looking forward to adapting this stew in the future – using different spices or herbs, adding fresh ginger, or, for a meatier option, tossing in some sliced sausage.

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  • Chili Powder

    chili powder

    I’ve found that making fresh spice mixes is surprisingly easy and yields incredible flavor – much more than with store-bought mixes. This recipe for chili powder can be adapted to your tastes; it currently uses equal amounts of three dried chiles: guajillo, ancho, and arbol. Like your chili powder a little smokier? Add more ancho chiles, toss in some dried chipotles, and/or add extra smoked paprika. Like your chili powder on the milder side? Use more ancho and guajillo chiles and less arbol chiles, and discard the seeds before toasting. Or, conversely, like your chili powder extra spicy? Up the number of arbol chiles.

    I would highly recommend making a double batch of this recipe; a single batch makes enough for about four regular batches of chili (about 4 servings each) or two extra-large batches of chili (about 8 servings each) – I love making extra-large batches and having lots of delicious hearty leftovers. If you make a single batch of this recipe, you’ll have just enough chili powder for the two amazing extra-large batch chili recipes I’ll be posting on Wednesday and Friday: a delicious vegetarian chili packed with lots of different beans and grains on Wednesday, then a mouth-watering pot of chile con carne with all the special touches on Friday.

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