MADDIE DAY here, with a warm and delicious winter recipe. And a bit of personal back story.
The first big love of my life was Tibor Derencsenyi, a tall handsome senior in my high school when I was a junior. His intellectual parents had fled Hungary when he was a toddler. We went steady, and he took me to the prom. The relationship ended after he graduated, but thanks to Facebook, we have reconnected.
 |
| Tibor, second from left. I was the "Mini Pep Commissioner" for tennis that spring - leading a cheering group who attended games and supported the team - thus the thanks from the team captain. |
In Candy Slain Murder, my latest mystery, I included a Hungarian older gentleman. I borrowed Tibor's first name and Csik, the name of a Hungarian-American fellow I dated in graduate school, for the surname. The resemblance to either stops there! But I'll give away a copy of the book to one commenter here.
Tibor recently posted something about making Chicken Paprikash, so I asked him for the recipe. It also was a perfect way to use some of the delicious paprika my son brought us from his honeymoon in Hungary two years ago.
Tibor included recipes for galuskas, Hungarian dumplings, and a Hungarian cucumber salad. I decided not to attempt the dumplings and didn't happen to have any pre-made spaetzle around. I served the chicken over pasta, instead.
Chicken Paprikash and Cucumber Salad
Note: I have adapted the recipes a bit. Apologies to Tibor!
Ingredients
Chicken dish:
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Two boneless thighs and two breast tenders, cut in bite-sized pieces (he called for one chicken, cut up, but I used what I had, because COVID...)
2 tablespoons good paprika
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
3 tablespoons sour cream
Cucumber salad:
One English or two regular cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
Salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
Black pepper to taste
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Paprika
Chicken directions:
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan, and saute onions.
Add chicken, stir, and add paprika. Caution: never add paprika to hot oil - it will turn bitter.
Toss chicken and brown on all sides.
Turn heat to minimum, and add pepper and tomato and a half teaspoon of salt.
Cover and simmer for about an hour. If it seems too dry, add a little water. When the chicken is tender, use a slotted spoon to remove to dish, leaving the sauce. Turn off the burner
Stir the sour cream in its container to make it smooth. Mix three tablespoons into sauce and bring to a simmer to thicken.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add more sour cream if desired. Recombine with chicken and serve hot over dumplings, rice, or pasta.
Salad directions:
Toss the cucumbers with a teaspoon of salt and mix in a bowl with your hand (Tibor says cucumber juice is good for your skin). Let sit 15 minutes in a colander, then briefly rinse.
Squeeze handfuls of cucumber to release their water and transfer all to a bowl.
Mix sugar into 1/2 cup water until it dissolves. Whisk in garlic powder, vinegar, and sour cream. Combine with cucumbers and sprinkle with paprika.
Serve in small bowls next to chicken paprikash. Enjoy with a glass of wine!
Readers: what's your favorite international meal? I'll send one commenter a copy of Candy Slain Murder.
My most recent book is Candy Slain Murder, the eighth Country Store mystery. As with all my books written as Maddie Day, you'll find easy recipes in the back.
The next book out will be the wide release at the end of March of Murder at the Taffy Shop, the second Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery - up for preorder now!
