Tag: Hungarian paprika

  • Hungarian Paprika Soup – Wow!

    I recently returned from an incredible 15 Viking River cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. Budapest was probably my favorite place we visited. While there, we visited the Great Market Hall where I stocked up on a variety of paprika products including paprika paste.

    Today was the day – I finally felt alert enough, after battling severe jetlag from a nine-hour time difference, to attempt making homemade soup.

    The result was an amazing soup with so much flavor that my family gave me a standing ovation.

    Ingredients:

    3 tablespoons avocado oil

    1 large onion finely chopped

    3 smashed cloves garlic

    4 peeled carrots – diced

    3 stalks celery – diced

    1 red bell pepper – diced

    2 tablespoons paprika paste

    1 12 ounce can tomato paste

    1 cup red wine

    2 cups vegetable stock

    3 bratwurst sausage links

    1 cup shredded green cabbage

    salt and pepper to taste

    2 cups diced potatoes

    First, sauté the garlic, onion, carrots and celery in the avocado oil. Add in the diced red bell pepper. Add in the paprika (preferably in paste form).

    After five minutes, add in the tomato paste, wine and vegetable stock.

    In a separate pan cook the sausage links until partially cooked. Cut into pieces and then add into the soup. Add in the shredded cabbage and salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes at medium heat.

    Finally, add in the cut up potatoes pieces. Let the soup continue to cook at a low temperature for another 20 to 30 minutes. I dislike overcooked potatoes so I always add them in last.

    This is a great soup to make the day before and then reheat the next day. It gets better overnight.

  • The Amazing Grand Market in Budapest

    Our Viking tour of the Grand Market surpassed our expectations. It helped that our guide, Anna Marie, is a native of Budapest with 35 years experience as a tour guide. It was a small group of us from the ship on the tour. Instead of a tour bus, we walked a few blocks and took the tram several stops to the market. The tram cars were built in Prague and the system goes back to 1887.

    Upon arriving in the market building, which is enormous and with multiple levels, Anna Marie walked us around the entire main floor – sharing cultural stories and local traditions as she explained various products. I knew going in that I was coming home with paprika but Anna Marie showed us variations that I was previously unaware of. The night before, our ship’s chef had made the most spectacular goulash; Ana Marie showed us a paste form sold in tubes that is specifically designed for goulash. Hungary is known for its sausages and our tour guide arranged for us to sample an extensive variety – including a delicious one with smoked paprika.

    After walking the market with us, she gave us a half hour to shop before the next phase of our adventure. Naturally, John, my husband, and I bought lots of paprika. I spent an average of about $5 per container of Paprika. In addition, we bought an assortment of Hungarian chocolate bars, a few refrigerator magnets and hand painted wooden spoons. John saw a leather booth and picked out a really nice belt. The shop owner measured John’s waist and cut and finished the belt for John. He charged us 20 Euros for the belt – we were thrilled. The leather station was the only place where we paid cash. Just about every booth took credit cards.

    We then met with our guide and fellow Viking tourists. Anna Marie escorted us upstairs to a large restaurant where we enjoyed a late lunch of local favorites. We started with small glasses of a plum alcohol that was very strong. I told John I felt like we were drinking rocket fuel; he nodded in agreement. The bread, cheeses, meats and salads were so fresh and delicious. I especially enjoyed a dark smoked ham and a local Brie. My husband hates pickles but I was in heaven. They served us a cheese spread that our waitress called cottage cheese but tasted and looked very different from what we call cottage cheese in the U.S. I normally hate cottage cheese but this was incredible!