Skip to main content

Paprika

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Paprika is a fine red powdered spice made from grinding a very mild variety of sweet red pepper pods. Paprika can be anywhere from a mild spice to pungent, it can fairly sweet with a slight hint of bitterness, but not very hot. Makes a very nice garnish and it intensifies the beauty of lightly colored cream sauces. This spice also is used in a large variety of dishes, including vegetables, mustards, salad dressings and ketchup.
In the Spanish culture the peppers are first smoked, then dried calling it Smoked Paprika  (one of my favorite spices). Paprika is very 
popular with the Hungarian cuisine but is used widely all over the world.
Store paprika in a cool, dark place, in an air tight container. If it begins to turn brown and loses its smell and flavor, then it's time to replace it.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Different Types of Kitchen Equipment

Just like knives there are lots (and I mean lots) of different types of kitchen equipment. From cutting boards and peelers to melon ballers/parisienne scoops, measuring cups and spoons to measuring bowls and scales. I could go on and on and on, you get the picture. It is no doubt that Chef's need a lot of equipment in order to put food on the table for customers every day and night. When it's crunch time during service, the tools you need is a hot rag or very thick towel (for grabbing hot pots, pans, etc.) and a pair of tongs.  Equipment Used in the Kitchen Peelers The peeler is a very indispensable kitchen tool with a slotted blade, designed for removing a thin layer from various fruits and vegetables. There are two main types of peelers, the Y-shaped peeler and the straight peeler. There is also the mechanical peeler, but it is not often used in the household nor the restaurant industry. Whisks/Whips A whisk or whip is Beat, blend or whip certain foods to inco

Rosemary

A woody perennial herb with dark green, needle-like leaves and spires of small, white, pink, purple or blue flowers. It has a very pungent fragrance and may be used for cosmetics and decorative purposes, as well as culinary uses. Rosemary adds a great flavor to lamb, pork, chicken and salmon as well as several soups and sauces. A native of the Mediterranean region, rosemary grows wild on dry shrub and is cultivated all year round.

Minestrone Soup

¼ C Pancetta (small dice) 4 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 medium Yellow Onions (small dice) 3 stalk Celery (small dice) 1 medium Carrot (small dice) 4 Cloves Garlic (sliced) 6 oz Fresh Green Beans (trimmed and sliced on a ½ inch bias) 1½ qt Chicken Stock (previous recipe) 8 oz Chickpeas 8 oz Zucchini (seeds removed, small dice) 8 oz Yellow Squash (seeds removed, small dice) 8 oz Roma Tomatoes (seeds removed, small dice) 3 oz fresh Basil (roughly chopped) 2 oz fresh Oregano (finely chopped) ¼ C Ditalini Pasta Salt (to taste) Black Pepper (to taste) Parmesan Cheese (garnish) In a large stockpot, render pancetta in olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté pancetta, stirring constantly to avoid browning completely, for about 3 minutes. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic and greens beans sweat until onions are translucent. Add chicken stock, chickpeas, zucchini and squash, simmer. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes and add tomatoes and pasta. Continue to simmer, for about 10 more m