Paprika Overdose

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Paprika . .

Hungarians love their paprika. As is usual in our travel adventures, we enjoy living in the country, and eating and drinking as locals. We cooked many more meals than we had in restaurants, and although I have to admit to having one helping of MacDonald’s French fries (It was in the first MacDonald’s to open behind the Iron Curtain), we generally tried to cook Hungarian food, drink Hungarian wine and generally experience the culture, and that involved a lot of paprika.

We arrived on a Sunday, and could not go to the market yet, so we visited a local supermarket and bought some sausage and sauerkraut style vegetables. Frying that up for our first meal in Budapest. I noticed that the sausages were an orange in colour and stayed that shade even when cooked - lots of paprika. 

Turned out to be a pretty good choice as I found a similar dish served at one of the many street food vendors.

More Paprika . . .

Day two I made a Chicken Paprika dish once we had a chance to get to the market and pick up some actual Hungarian paprika. Served with rice and vegetables, this was an authentic Hungarian style dish. The leftovers became a delicious soup the next day – chicken with a distinct Hungarian Paprika taste.

We had friends visiting the next day so wanting to impress them, we prepared the ultimate Hungarian dish, Goulash, all with ingredients from the market. I think it turned out pretty good and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Of course we made a point of washing it down with some Hungarian Bulls Blood. During the communist era, drinking of wine was discouraged, so the people would drink out of an ordinary glass and if asked would state, “I’m not drinking wine, its bulls blood.” Now there are lots of Hungarian red wine called Bulls Blood or “Egri Bikaver”.

Yes, even more paprika . . .

Next came Canadian Thanksgiving; no such thing as a turkey at the market, so we did up a chicken, with Hungarian sausage dressing, and Paprika seasoning on the chicken. The brussel sprouts were not really ‘Hungarian’, but the chicken certainly was. Boiling up the chicken carcass produced a delicious paprika flavored stock that made an amazing chicken soup the next day. Oh yea I forgot mention the paprika salami, and the delicious paprika sausage patties for breakfast.

Yes, sort of overdosing on that delicious Hungarian Paprika. I might sneak some into my suitcase to bring home. Anyone interested in coming to dinner; I’m serving goulash?

Fast Food?

Olhao Fast Food Restaurant

 OMG ! We just realized that somehow we have journeyed to the end of the world . . . . . Regis and I just came back from a walk down along the Malecon, and chatting as we wondered through back streets and tiny cobble-stoned alleyways, we suddenly realized that there is no KFC in town. Wait a minute, there is no golden arches, no Starbucks. OMG we must have teleported back in time . . . . Seriously, there are NONE of the brand name restaurants. China had KFC, Japan had KFC, Brazil had KFC, Spain had KFC. There are none anywhere around us here.

Crepes with everything (Seriously!)

We actually have not exited the civilized world, Olhao actually has it's own 'fast food', and it is available in many popular establishments around town. The call it “Plata do Dia”. It is what ever seafood was plentiful at the daily market. Every local Snack Bar finds some delicious way to cook it up quickly. Want something quick and tasty – “Prato do dia” is it. . . . . . Portuguese fast food.

Now we have not suffered with this absence of KFC and Starbucks. One of the goals of the trip was to cook the local food and drink the local wine, and this we have been working hard at doing.

Fava & Chorizo

Day one was a simple pasta dish made with home-made tomato sauce and local Chorizo. Pete and Linda were happy with left overs when they arrived after their “Lost in Portugal” adventure. They even helped us finish off the bottle of “Welcome to Portugal” wine left by Colin & Suzanne.

The next day we explored the markets and had Pete figure our how to make the Sardines that this area is so famous for. He did a fine job, grilling them in local Olive Oil and the Popular local Port.

Linda made a delicious pork chop dish with a baby apple demi-glace reduction, Regis found a delicious recipe for a Portuguese Chick Pea stew, and I cooked up a local chicken with sea salt & Oregano with stuffing of chorizo, onions, mixed nuts and a corn bread from the corner bakery

We have even started serving appetizers; Sauteed fava beans with Portuguese chorizo and garlic one day and fresh crayfish boil with curried piri-piri mayo another.

Regis' Chickpea Stew

Yup, life is tough, and we have only been here a week. Pete is already planning to see how the local Salmon compares to his famous BC Salmon, I'm thinking about how to convert my Jambalaya recipe to use local seafood (I managed to get my seasoning mix through customs), and Linda is talking about a chicken with prune dish.

Is it happy hour again Pete? OK go ahead fill up my wine glass.