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Smoked Paprika

Pimenton or Spanish paprika is as common in the Spanish kitchen as salt and pepper are to the rest of the world. Frank Cammora (of Movida fame) describes it as "a cornerstone Spanish flavour".

Paprika is simply the ground powder of dried sweet peppers or capsicums (i.e. not chillies which have a much higher capsicain content). Originally from Central and South America, capsicums or sweet peppers were brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus where the Spanish quickly determined they could be milled to produce a tasty red powder.

A variety of paprikas are produced in Spain. Here are some of the types you may come across:

• Picante - can be made from a variety of peppers, but has a hot, spicy finish.
• Dulce - meaning sweet, is a paprika made from the farnade peppers.
• Agridulce - or bittersweet is a paprika made from farita peppers and this has deep flavour with a hint of bitterness at the end.
• Ahumado - indicates the peppers have been smoked before they are ground (this is usually done over oak fires and can take up to 15 days).

The most popular is the smoked paprika or "pimenton ahumado". You can usually choose between a hot smoked (picante ahumado) or sweet smoked (dulce ahumado) depending on how spicy you want the dish to be.

The earthy, meaty flavour of smoked paprika marries well with seafood, chicken, beef, tomato and potato. But it's also very versatile, and can be used in many different types of cuisine - not just Spanish.

Paprika (especially the smoked variety) loses its intense flavour very quickly, so it's best to buy it in small quantities and keep it in an airtight container.

For a couple of recipe ideas, go to our Recipe Page and check out our paella and smoked paprika casserole recipes.