Friday, February 18, 2011

Hungarian Portabella Paprikash

  • 2 large red mild frying peppers or red bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 8 large portabella mushroom caps, gills scraped, wiped clean and chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 2 Fresno chile peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped or grated
  • 4 large cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika or smoked sweet paprika
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 ounces wide egg noodles or 1 pound egg tagliatelle
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, parsley, or dill
  • Sour cream, as needed

Char the peppers on the stovetop or under the broiler with the oven door cracked for the steam to escape. Place the charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool. Scrape or peel the skin from the peppers, then seed, and thinly slice.

Heat 1/4 cup EVOO in a large Dutch oven or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and brown 12-15 minutes until darkened and tender. Add the Fresno peppers, onion, carrot, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper, and cook to soften, 10 minutes more.

Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and stir 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, Worcestershire sauce, and roasted red peppers. Simmer a few minutes for the flavors to combine, then cool completely and store for make-ahead meal.

Reheat the mushrooms and sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

In boiling salted water, cook the egg noodles or egg pasta to al dente and toss with butter and herbs.

Stir a few spoonfuls of sour cream into the paprikash and serve in shallow bowls on a bed of noodles or pasta.