Northwest Wine - Online Magazine
Smoked Spanish Paprika - My Secret Ingredient
Michael Sherwood, Avalon Food & Wine Writer
Roasted Salmon with Smoked Paprika Glaze
Although we love grilling salmon, in this recipe we roast it. This method is really simple and produces a moist and flavorful fish. A smoky and sweet glaze complements the salmon fillets.
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh salmon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbs. Spanish smoked paprika
2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
Directions:
1. Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil.
2. Rinse the salmon and pat it dry. We cut the salmon into 5 pieces of 5-6 ounces each and then a few smaller pieces for lighter eaters or leftovers. Place the salmon on the foil-lined cookie sheet skin-side down.
3. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Pour half of it into a ramekin to reserve for the table. Brush the rest of the glaze on the flesh side of the large pieces of salmon.
4. Roast the salmon in the oven for 10 minutes. Check for doneness, but find that it is not quite ready. Cook it for a few more minutes.
5. With tongs, lift the salmon off the foil onto the dinner plates. Leave behind the skin of the salmon and serve immediately.
Serves 5 - From Triple E's Family Cookbook
Shrimp in Morel Cream Sauce with Smoked Paprika
Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 lb. extra large shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 cup morel mushrooms, sliced
Cream
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 x chives, diced finely
Directions:
1. In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and shrimp.
2. Cook shrimp for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until opaque. Add garlic at the very last moment, careful not to overcook the garlic. Remove and reserve.
3. Add remaining butter and mushrooms to pan and sauté over medium high heat for 5 minutes, or until slightly condensed.
4. Add white wine and stir to loosen up any browned bits. Add cream and paprika. Let reduce for 5 minutes, then add back shrimp. Cook for 2 more minutes, then serve. Sprinkle with chopped chives.
Serves 4 - Inspired by Elizabeth Baird's recipe from the Surreal Gourmet
Grilled Paprika Chicken with Blackberry Sauce
This recipe comes to us from the Oregon chef de cuisine, Janie Hibler. Leave it to Janie to marry a chicken rubbed with smoked paprika; rosemary and blackberries… and pull it off.
Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken (3- to 4-pound)
2 cups chicken stock
1-1/2tablespoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 pint Marionberries or other blackberries
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the wing tips from the chicken and put them, along with the neck and any giblets, in a small pan with the chicken stock. Set the pan over medium-high heat and reduce to 1 cup. Strain the reduced broth and set aside.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Blend the smoked paprika with the salt and pepper and rub the mixture over the bird and inside the cavity. Put two rosemary sprigs in the cavity, truss the legs and put the bird in a roasting pan.
3. Roast until the internal temperature is 175 degrees F. and the juices run clear yellow, about one hour and 25 minutes. Remove the bird from the oven and keep it warm while you make the sauce.
4. Purée the blackberries in a blender and push the purée through a strainer to remove the seeds. Discard the fat from the roasting pan and add the reserved chicken stock, blackberry puree and the remaining rosemary sprig. Put the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and cook rapidly, scraping the pan to reduce any caramelized bits. The sauce will thicken slightly. Add any juices that may have accumulated around the chicken and remove the rosemary sprig. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Cut the roast chicken into serving-size pieces and pour the blackberry sauce into a small bowl with a ladle to accompany the chicken.
From 'The Berry Bible' by Janie Hibler
Cold Potato Salad with Grilled Sweet Slab Bacon
Ingredients:
5 pounds fingerling potatoes
1 pint smoked paprika aioli (recipe follows)
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 pounds slab bacon
About 1/4 cup brown sugar
About 1/4 cup honey
Directions:
1. Cook fingerling potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and allow potatoes to cool.
2. Split potatoes lengthwise and toss with paprika aioli and scallions. Refrigerate until potato salad is completely chilled.
3. Slowly render slab bacon in a large roasting pan over medium heat. Halfway through rendering, coat slab with brown sugar and honey, and grill over medium heat to finish. Allow to cool.
4. Slice bacon against the grain and layer slices on a large platter. Spoon the chilled potato over and serve.
Smoked Paprika Aioli
Ingredients:
12 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 Tbs. lemon juice
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. coarse sea salt
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Smoked paprika to taste
Directions:
1. All ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. In a blender or food processor, place egg and chopped garlic. Whirl until garlic is smooth.
3. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream, until the sauce is thick and emulsified.
4. Add the lemon juice and salt.
5. Season to taste with smoked paprika.
The sauce should be creamy and will have a nice garlic bite. If the aioli is runny, this may mean the egg was old. To fix this problem, either try again with a fresher egg or add store-bought mayonnaise to the sauce.
Adapted from recipes from chefs Todd English and Victor LaPlaca of Olives – New York, NY. Serves 10-15
Spicy Grilled Beef Kabobs
This recipe harkens back to the ancient Ottoman Empire. Traditionally this recipe originated with Turkish mercenaries grilling chunks of meat on their swords in the field. Frankly, I'd like to know how the Turks had time to smoke and dry paprika when they were out and about wreaking havoc.
Ingredients:
1 1/2-2 lbs beef sirloin steaks
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
1. Cut the beef into 1 1/2 " cubes and place into a mixing bowl or large plastic sealable bag.
2. Place the garlic, spices, and wine vinegar into a food processor. Blend and while still blending, drizzle in olive oil, mix well.
3. Pour marinade mixture over beef and mix well, marinate in fridge for 2 - 4 hours.
4. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread the meat onto the skewers leaving about 1/2-inch in between the pieces of meat. Place on the grill and cook, with lid lowered, 2 to 3 minutes per side, 8 to 12 minutes in all (8 minutes for rare and 12 for medium).
5. Remove from the heat to aluminum foil, wrap and allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes prior to serving.
Serves 4 - Adapted from Alton Brown 'Good Eats'
Grilled Corn with Smoked Paprika Butter
Usually we soak the ears for a few hours, grill 'em with the husks on and then slather them with a smoked paprika butter. In a pinch, we'll par boil them and grill them directly, kernels exposed.
Ingredients:
6 corn on the cob, unshucked
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoons smoked paprika or chipotle powder or canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 small garlic clove chopped
Fresh ground pepper
Directions:
1. Soak the corn in salt water for several hours to get the shucks moist. (Add 2 Tbs. salt to 1 gallon of water).
2. In a medium bowl combine butter, sugar, lime juice, chili, garlic and smoked paprika or ancho pepper until the ingredients are well mixed.
3. Grill the corn, with the shucks intact, over hot coals or high gas burners on the grill, turning frequently, until done, about 30 minutes. The shucks will often turn dark/black but will protect the corn. If a few kernels get grilled, that is on purpose. You want just a little char to come through.
4. Peel the shucks back, one at a time, until most of the corn is exposed and then remove the silk. With a pastry brush lavishly coat the corn with the spiced butter mixture.
5. Serve with shucks tied together like a handle.
Quick and Dirty Method:
When we want to keep the cooking time down, we shuck the corn, clean off the silk and par boil them for five minutes in boiling water just to flash cook them and fix the sugars. Then we grill them for five minutes, turning them from time to time so they don't burn. Not to worry if some of the kernels get dark and blacken. A few of those only add to the smoky flavors.
Adapted from Barbecue America
Kekchi Cacao-Chile Balls
Makes 12 balls
In the lush and deeply forested region of Guatemala that was part of the ancient Mesoamerican chocolate empire, the Maya roasted cacao beans and ground them with ululte, the local name for the tiny but devilish chile piquin. They shape the resulting sticky paste into balls, which are then air-dried and stored. To add heat and flavor to feast dishes they grate a little of this mixture over the food.
Experiment with other combinations of spices if you wish, or vary the proportions to taste. We played up the smokiness with a dash of Spanish smoked paprika and added a little allspice and soft true cinnamon from Mexico. You might try passing the cacao balls around the tables with a small grater and letting each person grate his or her own onto the dish. Used it with lobster stew, slightly sweet cream soups, and different meat stews (lamb, beef, even venison).
Note: A powerful mini-food processor is almost essential for grinding the cacao and chile, unless you have a good big marble mortar and pestle and very strong hands.
Ingredients:
3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) cacao nibs
3 ounces (about 1 cup) piquin chiles
1 (1-inch) stick true cinnamon (soft Ceylon cinnamon,sold as canela in Hispanic markets), coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
Directions:
1. Heat a griddle, medium-sized cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the cacao nibs and dry-roast for 2 minutes, until fragrant, turning constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Turn out into another container and set aside.
2. Add the chiles, cinnamon stick, and allspice berries to the griddle and roast the same way, stirring for 2 minutes. Scrape into an electric spice mill or coffee grinder with the salt and paprika; grind to a fine powder.
3. Combine the spice mixture and roasted cacao in a mini-food processor and process into a warm, sticky paste, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scrape out onto a work surface and shape into 12 small balls. Let sit until thoroughly dried. Store in a tightly sealed jar. When ready to use, grate over any dish of your choice.
From Maricel Presilla's 'The New Taste of Chocolate'
Smoked Paprika and Red Bell Pepper Soup
Anything with roasted red bell peppers is divine in my book. Add some stock and maybe some cream and you are good to go. The red chilies add the heat. The balsamic adds a tang. The smoked paprika adds a smoky depth. You can make this as hot or as mild as you like and go thin with more broth or thick with heavy cream.
Ingredients:
8 fleshy red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 red chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (for a vegetarian version)
3 small potatoes, peeled and diced
3-5 sprigs parsley
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, extra
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup cream or Half and Half (optional)
Directions:
1. Cut peppers in half and brush with olive oil, baked in a very hot oven until the skin blisters and blackens. Turn often. Can also be broiled, which is how I like to do it.
2. Place roasted peppers in a paper bag 10 minutes with the top crimped shut. Then remove blackened skin, and chop coarsely.
3. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
4. Cook the onions, garlic and chilies until soft, but not brown.
5. Add the paprika and cook for 1 more minute.
6. Add the peppers, stock, potatoes, parsley, thyme sprigs and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
7. Remove the herb sprigs.
8. Puree in a food processor (or hand held blending unit) until smooth adding the thyme, vinegar and cream (if you're using it) just before you finish.
9. Serve hot with garlic bread, or cold garnished with guacamole.
Adapted from the Recipe Czar - Serves 6
Other Ideas
- Mix with olive oil and rub between the skin and breast of a roast chicken.
- Prepare sensational beef goulash.
- Add to deviled eggs or egg salad sandwich.
- Spice up hot tomato or cold tomato soup.
- Mix into guacamole dip.
- Make smoked paprika butter. Add crushed garlic; a pinch of sugar and paprika to the butter.
- Flavor risotto and top with a rustic mixture of chorizo sausages and tomatoes.
- Cook in a little oil to release the flavor and then mix with olive oil and use for marinating feta cheese.
- Add a little sweet smoked paprika to vinaigrette and toss it through a salad.
- Put some thick Nancy's yogurt in a shallow dish, drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle well with bittersweet smoked paprika. Use as a dip.
- Quickly fry 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika and a bay leaf quickly in a little extra virgin olive oil. Add a splash of wine vinegar and some chopped red onion and toss it with steamed broccoli, cauliflower or sautéed zucchini.
- Slowly fry waxy potatoes, sliced onions and chopped garlic in olive oil and a little sweet smoked paprika, season well and serve with roast lamb.
- Rub skinned boned firm white fish fillets with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of sweet smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt and the juice of a lemon, dust with flour and fry in hot olive oil until golden.
About Michael Sherwood
Michael Sherwood is an Oregon original - your modern day Renaissance man. He's done more interesting jobs than most of us – FM radio personality, commercial logger, commercial fisherman, rock band promoter, neighborhood advocate, energy conservation expert, arts festival coordinator, software developer, non-profit executive, beer and wine guy and land use planner.
After 10 years developing software in Seattle, Mike moved back to Portland and was soon drafted to be the first Executive Director of the Oregon Brewers Guild, a fledgling non-profit trade organization, which he helped turn into one of the most dynamic small brewer associations in North America.
All the while he was managing the affairs of the states craft brewers, he was not so secretly a wine lover and worked providing marketing assistance to a local winery. Beverages are 'in his blood' as his family owned a beer and wine distributorship in the 60's and 70's in Roseburg.
Today Mike runs a wine sales, marketing and technology consulting business called Arbre which provides branding and sales support for wineries large and small. He has also created the Internets first truly virtual stealth restaurant and underground wine bar called Sub Rosa. We liked his mix of wine savvy and irreverent humor so much, we hired him to write for Avalon.
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