VARIANTS
powder - sweet
powder - Spanish (de la Vera)
powder - Spanish
Spanish paprika is a type of chile pepper that has been dried and ground into a fine powder. This version has only a very mild amount of heat, with a slightly sweet and slightly smoky flavor. It is a deep red color with flecks of yellow and has a smooth, fine granular texture. The aroma is sweet and slightly pungent, with hints of smokiness.
Spanish paprika is generally considered to have a mild, sweet, and slightly smoky flavor. This version of Spanish paprika is mild and does not have the heat of others. The flavor and heat can change slightly when heated or cooked for a longer period of time, becoming slightly more pronounced and sometimes taking on a slightly bitter taste.
Spanish paprika is commonly used in Spanish cuisine, as well as in other Mediterranean and Latin American dishes. It is a key ingredient in dishes such as paella, gazpacho, and chicken with paprika. It can also be used to add flavor to soups, stews, sauces, and marinades.
In cooking, Spanish paprika is typically used as a seasoning and is added to dishes towards the end of cooking or sprinkled on top just before serving. It can also be used to add color and flavor to sauces, dips, and spreads.
INGREDIENTS
Capsicum annuum peppers blend
SUBSTITUTIONS
The flavor profile of Hungarian paprika and Spanish smoked paprika is very different. Substituting one for the other will change the taste of the dish. Hungarian is generally more intense and sweeter.
BOTANICAL NAME
Capsicum annuum
In the 17th century Spanish-speaking Mexicans adopted the Aztec name for spicy peppers: chilli (Nahuatl language). At that time they modified it to its current spelling of chile, this moniker has also been adopted by the Spanish-language influenced American Southwest.
Exported and anglicized in the 17th century it ironically appears again spelled as chilli in English texts of that age. Americans simplified this to chili, with a single "l". In the early 1800s the popular frontier dish "chili" was concocted and the spice blend marketed to make this favorite at home was called chili powder. Today it contains a blend of spices which often includes cumin, oregano, paprika and one or two different types of ground chile peppers.
In culinary circles in the U.S. it has become practice to defer to the Spanish spelling when referring to a single pepper variety. Chili with an "i" ending is reserved for the spice blend.
