When referring to Spanish, it's pimenton, not paprika, although get's mixed up quite a lot in cookbooks and on supermarket lables. In the real world, if you live in the real world, you will find a whole spectrum of flavors as in "agridulce", "ahumado", "picante" etc. One of my personal favorites is piment d'espelette which comes from the Basque region but just over the French side of the frontier. I use these varieties on an almost daily basis. The supermarket stuff just doesn't measure up.
Very true, they are not just sprinkled on for color. My experience is that some people love them from the first taste and use them on everything. Others, me included, use them more selectively.
I find smokey paprika a bit over powering in dishes that don't specifically call for that product. At least for me using smokey version instead of normal supermarket 'hungarian' paprika doesn't translate well; and back down on the smokey product.
There are always exceptions, I use the smokey stuff on deviled eggs because it's just a bit and heat/smoke doesn't distract. But in a casserole or goulash the smoked version is very pronounced to overpowering.
Pimenton de lat Vera, Spanish smoked paprika comes three ways--the dulce that amysarah has seen, bittersweet, and hot. The smoky flavors of all of them are pretty different from the Hungarian paprikas. Give them a try!
Smoked paprika (pimenton) - usually from Spain, is 'dulce' ('sweet,' i.e., mild as opposed to hot.) Maybe there's hot smoked too, but I've never seen it. Hungarian paprika comes in many varieties, with varying characteristics, amongst them sweet (mild) to hot - but traditionally, not smoked. Hope that helps !
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There are always exceptions, I use the smokey stuff on deviled eggs because it's just a bit and heat/smoke doesn't distract. But in a casserole or goulash the smoked version is very pronounced to overpowering.