Pimentón de la Vera

Clothide at Chocolate and Zucchini beat me to this topic. How could she? It’s my secret! Me and how many million Spaniards! Pimentón is a Spanish version of paprika. But comparing it to the supermarket paprika most of us are familiar with is a bit like comparing processed American cheese to an artisan-made aged goat cheese. They are both cheeses, but the resemblance stops there. Aside from using superior quality pimentos, Pimentón is smoked over an oakwood fire before it is ground. The result is an intoxicatingly addictive spice that adds a magic touch to almost any savory dish. It comes in three “flavors” – sweet (dulce), bittersweet (agridulce) and hot (picante).

Clothide does a good job of explaining its history and methods of production so I won’t repeat them here, but I’ll talk a little about how I use Pimentón to garner rave reviews with my dishes. Since it is a Spanish spice, using it in Spanish dishes is obvious. It is a key ingredient in Chorizo, imparting the red color and a delicious spiciness. Once you taste it, you’ll find endless uses for it. The trick is subtlety. A little goes a long way, and it works best when you add just enough to suggest the flavor, but not enough to make it totally identifiable. I put a pinch in stews, lightly dust roasting vegetables, and use a little to kick up bland white fish. I often use it as a component of rubs and marinades for food to be grilled. Its smokiness enhances the effect of the grill. When broiling in the winter, it provides memories of wood fires and summer barbeques. I mix a little with sour cream to use as a condiment with highly flavored meats. It lifts an ordinary dish into extraordinary every time. I can’t tell you how many times guests have asked me why my version of whatever dish always tastes better than theirs. Before I could just smile mysteriously, but now the secret is out of the bag! And the answer is all too easy.

Get all three. Use the sweet when you want a little color and smokiness, the hot when you want some kick (it can be quite hot in quantity), and the bittersweet to add some dark flavor complexities. I’ve used both the La Chinata and Santo Domingo brands. I get them from La Tienda www.latienda.com, a wonderful source for all types of true Spanish foods. Try their chorizo sausages too! I’m a big fan of their Palacios Hot version.