Steenbergs – Organic Smoked Paprika

Description

Paprika is the name for a mild chilli powder that comes from various strains of Capsicum annuum, which also is the family for many of the hotter chillis. Paprika plants have a wide variety of sizes and appearances, but all can be described as early maturing, erect shrubs, with single white flowers, oval leaves and non-woody stems. Paprika pods or fruits can grow to 20cm long (8 inches) and be thin, or they can be small and round at 4cm (1 inch) in diameter. Paprika pods can vary in colour from bright red to dark red-brown and are harvested when fully ripe. Paprika pods are dried – they are piled up to commence the curing for about 24 hours, after which they are dried in the sun for 4-5 days. Following the initial drying, the paprika pods are cut open and halved or quartered and dried further for about another week until completely dry. They are then destalked, the seeds and veins separated, following which the fleshy walls of the paprika fruits are ground down and blended to give the right colour and flavour profile. The bright colour comes from the amount of capsanthin present and the lack of capsaicin, which is the heat determinant in chilli. Paprika is grown in most temperate climates but the most famous in Europe are Hungary and Spain, with Steenbergs sourcing its paprika from Spain and is locally called pimenton. The smoked paprika is achieved through smoking with slow-burning oak wood, where the smoke flows out through grills in the base of the smoking house; milling is similar to that for normal pimenton.  Smoked paprika has a distinctly smoky flavour with the peppery and slightly bitter flavours beneath this smokiness.  

Smoked paprika is popular in cooking for its colour and flavour, giving a luscious redness to sauces and all the peppery flavours of chilli pepper but with little or none of the burning heat. The smokiness adds a wood-smoke flavour that works really well in some dishes, but can become rather bitter; if you feel you have been overgenerous with the smoked paprika, add some acid flavours via dry sherry, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, or soured cream also is great, hence why many smoked paprika recipes also include soured cream for the sauces.  

Details

• Flavours: Pungent
• Cuisines: European
• Ingredient features: Organic, Salt free, Sugar free, Vegan

Nutritional information

• Values per 100g:
• Energy 198kCal; 840kJ
• Fat Trace
• Carbohydrates 36.1g
• Protein 13.3g

• Values per 2.5g teaspoon:
• Energy 5kCal; 21kJ
• Fat Trace
• Carbohydrates 0.9g
• Protein 0.3g

Seaweed says

We also stock Steenbergs – Organic Paprika (unsmoked)

Ingredients

Chilli’s.