New-Classic, Not-Chicken Paprikash

Waiter! There is too much pepper on my paprikash. But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie. Pecan pie. Pecan pie. Peeecan piiiiiie.

Just me? When Harry Met Sally—Nora Ephron’s greatest film (yes, I'm more than happy to discuss this in the comments)—was my first paprikash encounter. This, of course, is completely unfair to paprikash, since Harry and Sally aren’t even eating it, merely mentioning, and all as a guys-we’re-not-flirting joke. Anyway. Something about paprikash just sounds so, well, cute. Also, a lot like paprika.

Coincidence? Not quite. Paprikash—also known as chicken paprikash, or paprika chicken—is a creamy and saucy, smoky and spicy stew native to Hungary. From a distance, you might mistake it for Indian butter chicken. And the two have a lot in common: chicken parts swimming in a rich, red pool. But, instead of garam masala offering warmth and kick, paprikash turns to—just guess—paprika.

Which type? It depends. This dried, ground pepper blend comes hails from various countries and arrives in various spice levels, like sweet, smoked, and hot. If you can find Hungarian, this will be most fitting. If you can’t, that’s okay, too. For paprikash, which uses a lot of paprika, I like to blend spice levels to taste—mostly sweet or smoked, with some hot rounding it out. In The Spice Companion, Lior Lev Sercarz writes: “Paprika really shines when slightly heated or infused into a liquid.” Lucky for us, this recipe does both.

The only catch: There's no chicken. Instead, humble, magical cauliflower. You quarter a head—stem attached so the florets don’t jump ship—then sear on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Sauté onion and red bell pepper until slouchy and sweet. Then, lots of garlic, butter, and paprika, plus a little flour to thicken everyone up. Crushed tomatoes and water create a sauce. Cauliflower jumps back in there, where it will simmer until tender. Add some tangy, whole-milk Greek yogurt—I prefer this to sour cream but you can use either—just make sure it’s room-temperature, else it might curdle. Top with parsley. Serve on extra buttery egg noodles. Egg noodles. Egg noodles. Egg noooooodles.

Cauliflower Paprikash

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Ingredients

1	head cauliflower
1/4	cup extra-virgin olive oil
	Kosher salt, to taste
1	large yellow onion, finely chopped
2	red bell peppers, finely chopped
5	cloves garlic, minced or Microplaned
1	tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4	cup paprika (mixed to taste; I did 3 tablespoons smoked, 1 tablespoon hot)
	Ground cayenne, to taste
3	tablespoons all-purpose flour
1	(15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2	cups water
3/4	cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, room-temperature
	Chopped, flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
	Buttered egg noodles, for serving

1	head cauliflower
1/4	cup extra-virgin olive oil
	Kosher salt, to taste
1	large yellow onion, finely chopped
2	red bell peppers, finely chopped
5	cloves garlic, minced or Microplaned
1	tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4	cup paprika (mixed to taste; I did 3 tablespoons smoked, 1 tablespoon hot)

	Ground cayenne, to taste
3	tablespoons all-purpose flour
1	(15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2	cups water
3/4	cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, room-temperature
	Chopped, flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
	Buttered egg noodles, for serving

Have you ever made (or tried) paprikash before? Tell us about it in the comments below!