If Crack Were a Spice…
Image by foodistablog via Flickr
It would be pimentón, also known as smoked paprika.
For many of us on this side of the pond, the word “paprika’ is eternally linked with Hungary, and our experiences with the fiery red ground pepper have largely been uninspiring, via supermarket-style spice blends and barbecue rubs. We’ve never really given paprika its proper due, unless you count dusting the devilled egg party platter.
But the paprika from Spain? It’s waking us up from our spice-blend slumber. Like its Hungarian brethren, pimentón is made from ripe mild-to-medium hot red peppers that are dried and ground, but with the extra step of wood smoking.
The result: Smoke, but not too much; a deep brick color and a sweet-meets-heat flavor profile. Think of it as regular ole paprika’s sexier neighbor from points south and sultry. Available as dulce (sweet/mild), agridulce (bittersweet) and picante (hot – but not too hot), the majority of pimentón is used for flavoring sausage (including the famed chorizo), according to Teresa Barrenechea in her “The Cuisines of Spain.”
But you need not turn to stuffing sausage casings to experience a pimentón high. I’ll never forget my first time — when I cut some with salt and rubbed the mixture into a whole chicken, skin removed. I know, I sound obsessed possessed; but this stuff has powers. KFC doesn’t know nuthin’ ‘bout finger lickin’ with pimentón.
Then we tried it with a piece of wild salmon this summer, achieving similarly alchemical results. It’s not salmon…it’s uber salmon, I said, with a deranged look in my eye, while lapping up every last pimentón-dusted morsel.
Next up were roasted potatoes and cauliflower, and true to form, the pimentón turned everything into an edible hallucination. For fall, I’ve got a notion to rub it on pork shoulder, and work it somehow into sweet potato puree.
If I mention sprinking it on my granola, that’s when you can stage an intervention. In the meantime, you can find me on Cloud Nine.
Pimentón Rub-a-Dub
For one 4-5 pound chicken:
1 tablespoon coarse salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons pimentón and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Remove skin from chicken, minus wings.
Optional: With kitchen shears, remove backbone and reserve for stock. Press on breast bone so that chicken lays flat. (this cuts cooking time by at least 30 minutes)
With paring knife, make incisions across breast bone and where thigh meets leg.
Squeeze a lemon all over chicken.
With a silicone or pastry brush, apply olive oil over entire bird. Then apply spice rub, inside and out.
Roast at 375 degrees until juices run clear in thigh and instant read thermometer reaches a temperature of 160 degrees.
For a 1-pound wild salmon fillet:
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspon pimentón
With a silicone or pastry brush, apply olive oil on fleshy surface of fish.
Apply spice rub.
Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and add a small amount of oil with a high smoking point, such as grapeseed, safflower or peanut oil.
Add fish, skin side down, and sear, until skin is crisp and brown. Reduce heat if necessary. With tongs, turn fish onto second side and transfer pan to a 400-degree oven. Roast until desired doneness.
For 1 pound of roasted cauliflower or broccoli:
1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 teaspoon pimentón, black pepper, chopped garlic and/or fresh ginger and olive oil.
Cut vegetable head into smaller florets and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add spice mix, garlic and ginger (if using) and enough olive oil to coat.
Toss with hands until evenly coated.
Roast at 400 degrees until fork tender, about 8 minutes.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
Best headline today! Maybe Penzey’s sells it? Sounds great.
My favorite spice these days is their Turkish mix which I rub on pork chops and almost anything else.
Caitlin & Alison, If you’re going to buy online, I’d like to recommend another source — World Spice Merchants. I’ve been scoring my smoked paprika at their store in Seattle, and it’s super fresh. It is difficult to find the variations in heat — you could try Latienda.com or spanishtable.com, both reliable purveyors of Spanish goods/groceries. Let me know what you think!
In response to another comment. See in context »penzey’s has smoked spanish paprika, but doesn’t seem to have the variations in heat. kim, any recommendations for online or the dc area? have a big head of cauliflower waiting to roast. think i could maybe roast, then puree w/ some chicken stock to make a roasted cauliflower soup?
Ray Bradley who runs Bradley Farms in New Paltz makes paprika from his own peppers and sells it, more like pot than crack, in clear-lidded screw-top metal containers both at his farm and at the Grand Army Plaza and 91st Street Farmers’ Market. It has the most amazing flavor and powdery feel. Resisting the urge to snort it leaves some over to sprinkle on top of popcorn–nothing better in the fall!
Todd, this is a great find. Do you know if he smokes the peppers before drying & grinding? I love the idea of paprika on top of popcorn.
No smoking, just drying and grinding. A mutual friend does the drying for him and talked about playing with some smoking this year … but fighting the blight and all the rain has really knocked local farmers back on their heels, no room for experiments … maybe next year!
Kim comes through again. I picked up some smoked paprika from the local Penzey’s store just because I found the smell intoxicating. I found it too overpowering for seasoning eggs or vegetables, so it has sat unused in my cupboard for a few months. I’ll try it on a chicken this week.
One question: Why a nekkid chicken instead of just rubbing the spices under the skin? I’ve had issues with the skin not browning nicely until the chicken is overcooked, but I’ve always assumed the skin helps keep the roasting bird juicy, even if it’s going to be discarded before serving.
Hey c5karl, you’ll notice that the chicken has plenty of fat underneath its exterior layer, which I find plenty adequate to keep that bird moist/juicy. Removing fat cuts cooking time by about one third, plus you’re removing temptation to eat the skin.
In response to another comment. See in context »Would not have guessed about the faster cooking time. That seals the deal. I’ll definitely give your recipe a try.
In response to another comment. See in context »am waiting patiently for bird to thaw – took it out too late, so wasn’t able to put it in tonight…tomorrow night, paprika, here i come (ended up at penzey’s, buying a few – ahem – extra things)