Smoked paprika

Smoked paprika is ground red pepper that has been dried slowly over oak fires before grinding. It comes from Spain, where paprika of any kind is called pimentón. The best known smoked kind is pimentón de la Vera, from the La Vera region, also sold as pimentón ahumado. It is deep brick red and tastes smoky and sweet, like food cooked over a wood fire. Regular paprika is dried without smoke, so it tastes milder and fruitier.

How to use it

• Stir it into stews, bean dishes, soups and paella.
• Rub it on chicken, pork, fish or potatoes with oil, garlic and salt before roasting.
• Add it to romesco, aioli, mayonnaise or a vinaigrette.
• Sprinkle it over deviled eggs, hummus, roast vegetables or fried eggs.
• Use it to give vegetarian dishes a smoky, meaty taste.

To get the most flavor, bloom it in warm oil for 20 to 30 seconds over low heat, until fragrant, then add liquid. It burns quickly in hot oil and turns bitter, so take the pan off the heat first if it is very hot.

Substitutes

• Sweet paprika with a small pinch of chipotle powder or ground cumin. This gives color and some smoke.
• Sweet paprika on its own, for color and mild sweetness without the smoke.
• Chipotle powder alone is smoky but much hotter. Use about a quarter of the amount.

How to store it

Keep it in a closed tin or jar away from light and heat. It loses color and smell within about a year. If it has turned dull brown and smells of little, replace it.

In recipes

Spanish smoked paprika comes in three kinds:

• Dulce, sweet and mild. This is what most recipes mean.
• Agridulce, bittersweet and a little sharper.
• Picante, hot.

If a recipe just says "smoked paprika", use sweet. It is the main spice in Spanish chorizo, patatas bravas and many stews. It also pairs well with harissa and other North African flavors. Hungarian recipes that say "paprika" mean unsmoked paprika, sweet or hot. Do not swap in smoked, or the dish will taste quite different.