As Woodbine’s restaurants remain closed and fans hungry for horse racing’s return wait in self-isolation amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, Mohawk Park’s Chef De Cuisine Robert Bakular shares a simple and versatile recipe to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. When thinking of a recipe to share during this challenging time, I wanted to focus on the most common and likely ingredients that folks might have around the house. The items that kept coming to mind were things like onions, potatoes, tomatoes, sausage or other meats, and spices – salt and pepper at least. I remember a dish that my Hungarian mother used to make when we were kids. I haven’t had it in about 25 years, but it’s versatile and suitable for all culinary skill levels. You can ad lib and make this recipe your own based on the ingredients you already have in your kitchens or alter for your preferred diets and lifestyles. Plus, it’s a satisfying meal, meaning a real stick-to-your-ribs, fill-you-up meal, and it’s cost effective. The dish is called “Paprikas Krumpli” or “Hungarian Paprika Potato.” Please enjoy, take care of your families and we look forward to seeing you all back in our dining rooms soon! RECIPE: PAPRIKAS KRUMPLI Ingredients 30 grams butter 30 milliliters olive oil – or other oils such as avocado, canola, corn, etc. 2 large cooking onions (sliced or diced) 2-3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika – or Spanish paprika. No paprika? Try it with curry powder or chili powder. 1 kilogram potato (diced 2 x 2 cm or sliced 1 cm thick) 1 bell pepper (diced) 2 tomatoes (diced) – or 12 oz can of chunky tomato 500 grams kielbasa (sliced or diced) – or any sausage such as Chorizo, Italian, etc. Salt and pepper to taste Boiling water (use kettle) Preparation Melt butter with oil together in a saucepan. Sauté onions until golden brown (approx. 5 minutes). Place the rest of ingredients into the saucepan. (If using raw sausage, sear off separate, drain oil and then add with rest of ingredients.) Start with boiling water and just add enough to come even with the top of the potatoes. Bring to a simmer. Avoid over-working the dish (stirring too much) to keep the potato from breaking up – the key here is to create a sauce from the starch of the potato. Cook until tender (30-45 minutes). Add or remove items from the ingredients list based on your liking or what you have available in your fridge and spice cabinet. Remove proteins to make it vegetarian or vegan. Is that hot dogs in the fridge? Bet the kids would like that! Have a few shrimps around the house? Why not! With everybody stuck at home, the idea is to make it fun, different and enjoyable! Share This:Share
