Did you know ? Only Paprika of protected origin from Szeged (Hungary), Kalocsa (Hungary) or Zitava (Slovakia) can bear the name Paprika. The word Paprika is also derived from the Serbian “paprena” which means “the one who stings”; And “paprena” is of etymological origin “piper” simply meaning “pepper”.
Paprika became world famous through studies carried out on vitamin C by Albert Szent-Györgyi. In 1937, he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine "for his discoveries related to chemical combustion processes, with special mention to vitamin C and the catalysis of fumaric acid." His subject of study, Paprika, available in quantity in Szeged, made this spice used throughout the world even more popular.
Paprika is a chili pepper. It is available according to its spiciness (from mild to strong) and also according to its shape and its color. We could almost say that Sweet Paprika is a pepper when it is sweet.
The plant is sixty to seventy cm high, with small, elegant, shiny green leaves, giving five to ten fruits per plant. The spice is simply this pepper or chili pepper. It is picked when ripe from the end of August to the beginning of September. It is then placed on racks for a fortnight to increase its color. It is then dried completely. It will then be transformed into powder. A fragile spice, its flavors disappear very quickly once it is crushed.
Like all peppers, Paprika first originated in Central America. Brought by Christopher Columbus to Europe, it was introduced into Hungary in the 17th century by the Ottoman Empire during its various territorial conquests.
It was the famous chef Georges Auguste Escoffier who introduced Paprika from Szeged along the Tisza River in 1879 at the Grand Hotel de Monte-Carlo.
He concocted Paprika Chicken and Hungarian Goulash which became very famous, winning several awards. In 1900 during the Universal Exhibition in Paris, Hungarian Goulash became very popular.
Here is the recipe for Chicken with Paprika from Auguste Escoffier which we have slightly modernized for the dosage of Paprika J
Hungarian Stir-Fry Chicken or Chicken with Paprika by Auguste Escoffier:
“Stiffen the chicken in butter with half a chopped onion and a dose of paprika. When the onion begins to brown slightly, add 3 peeled and chopped tomatoes; finish cooking everything.
Arrange the chicken in the middle of a border of Pilaw rice with crushed tomatoes. Add a deciliter of cream to the tomato filling, reduce by half. Pass through cheesecloth and pour over the pieces of chicken without putting any on the edge