Hungry for Hungarian: A Meal Rich in Flavor and Family

My husband Erik and I just returned from visiting my grandmother in Florida. As usual, our visit consisted of eating, listening to the same stories over and over, eating again and deciding where to go to eat.

Like many of the women in my family, my grandmother is a wonderful cook. However, as she gets older and her eyesight deteriorates she prefers to eat out for every meal, except breakfast when she makes two pieces of Cinnamon Raisin French Toast drowned in maple syrup.

Erik and I love eating out and enjoy a good early bird special as much as the next senior, but the thought of eating dinner at 4:30pm for our enire visit was not appealing. There had to be another option.

We were listening to my grandmother tell, for the second time that day, the story of her childhood journey to America, when it hit me… I would MAKE dinner and prepare all of Grandma's Hungarian favorites... Chicken Paprikash, Beef Goulash, Nukeli (also known as Spaetzle) and Cucumber Salad. That night we ate at 7pm… and it was DELICIOUS.


CHICKEN PAPRIKASH
Passed down from my Great-Grandmother, this Chicken Paprikash recipe is moist, tender and full of wonderful depth of flavor. It is also a one pot dish that is easy to prepare. It is naturally healthy and may be made lower in fat by using all white meat chicken, trimming or removing the skin or omitting the sour cream.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Medium Yellow Onions
1 Green Pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic
1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Organic Chicken, quartered
1/4 Cup Smoked Hungarian Paprika
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Black Ground Pepper
1 box Spaetzle *(may be found in most Supermarkets, in pasta aisle)
1 teaspoon Dill, chopped
2 Tablespoons Sour Cream

Preparation
1. Cut one onion into medium dice and combine in bowl with the garlic. Cut the green pepper into medium dice and add to onion and garlic. Thinly slice the remaining half onion and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt pepper and 2 tablespoons paprika. Rub spices all over chicken until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Set aside until ready to use.

3. In a large braising pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil begins to shimmer, add half onion, pepper and garlic mixture. Sweat vegetables until they begin to become tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, skin down and cook uncovered for 5-7 minutes to brown the skin.

4. Add remainder of the onions, pepper & garlic. Turn chicken pieces over and sprinkle the remaining 2 Tablespoons of paprika over chicken. Add sliced onions over top. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and continue cooking 25-30 minutes.

5. While chicken is cooking, fill 4 quart sauce pot 2/3 with salted water and bring to boil. Add spaetzle and cook 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and toss with chopped dill and 1 teaspoon olive oil.

6. Remove lid from chicken. In small spoonfuls, add sour cream to sauce that has formed in bottom of pot. Replace lid and cook additional 5 minutes.

7. Remove chicken from heat. Serve straight from the pot with spaetzle and cucumber salad.


CUCUMBER SALAD
Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 Kirby Cucumbers, peeled & very thinly sliced (1/8" thick)
1/4 Cup Yellow Onion, very thinly sliced (1/8" thick)
3 Tablespoons granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon chopped Dill

Preparation:
1. Combine all ingredients in medium sized mixing bowl. Toss to ensure that cucumbers are well coated and sugar and salt are dissolved. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.

2. Serve as side dish with Chicken Paprikash.