My Dad was Hungarian and a very good cook. I think he even had his own Hungarian restaurant once.
Mom, on the other hand, was known far and wide for her burnt porkchops and except for a few tried and true ultra-simplistic recipes, she was not considered an inspiring cook.
Maybe it is true that opposites attract.
But Mom’s brave attempts at gourmet cooking caused Dad to make a teasing proclamation he repeated often at the family dinner table. It was an anonymous quote guaranteed to make Mom angry when she had done the cooking.
And the impact of those words echo in my memory and remain a constant reminder today of what constitutes a good cook.
What did my Dad say to provide such contemplation and inspiration?
He said, “The cook is not in love!”
And that meant there was not enough salt!
Nowadays we all seem to be “watching our salt” intake. Still, there is something to be said for tasting as you go. And that was the way of the best cooks in my Dad’s experience. Poor Mom stayed quiet and just kept trying.
On occasion Dad would give me his recipes for the dishes I liked best. Here’s a good one, for the most favorite dish in my family.
HUNGARIAN CHICKEN PAPRIKASH
For a family of four: 6-8 chicken pieces or more.
In large pot, melt 2 sticks of butter.
Add 2 large chopped onions and saute until onions are translucent.
Add the larger pieces of chicken (breasts) skin side down.
Spoon some of the onion over each layer.
On top of that, add the smaller pieces of chicken skin side down.
Simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Reverse and turn everything. Now put smaller pieces of chicken on the
bottom skin side up and the bigger pieces on top of that, skin side up.
Simmer covered for 20 minutes more.
You should now have lots of juice. If not, add some water.
Also now add lots of paprika – 4 or 5 or 6 tablespoonsful.
You are looking for a very orange colored gravy.
Simmer another 15 minutes.
Your Hungarian Paprikash is done!
Serve over cooked egg noodles or spaetzle.
Serve with sour cream on the side.
The odd thing about this recipe is the only spice is Paprika. NO salt or pepper are called for and in fact discouraged. Each diner can add salt or not at will. And no comments will be made about the cook not being in love.
Virginia Views 
Everyone has their variation, I suppose. I love chicken paprika, but in the version I learned to make, the sour cream eventually is stirred into the sauce before serving. Do you use Hungarian sweet paprika? I like the flavor of it; there’s a little smokiness that isn’t always present in plain paprika.
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Sounds delicious! With 2 sticks of butter, how could it not be? 😉
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It’s an amusing story, and I’ll bet the chicken is delicious.
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I thought you said couldn’t cook? This looks suspiciously like good cooking. Long may you cook, or order take out!
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Sounds delicious Dora, You obviously are in Love !!!
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Now I must pull out Grandma’s handwritten notebook to see if hers is the same, she also was part Hungarian no wonder I love you, we maybe related 🙂
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Chicken paprikash was big in my family although our recipe is slightly different and we slowly incorporated the sour cream into the “gravy.”
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I just love that phrase and I intend to use it often!
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Yes, that’s my husband’s secret! He tastes as he goes. I’m more of a baker–put in the ingredients and let chemistry do its work.
I’m better at crockpot dishes because they are more like baking.
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Thank for the recipe Dor.
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Sounds like a good dish! Husband likes a lot of salt but I don’t so he is often adding salt. But I always add plenty of spices. Funny that this dish has no salt and only one spice. Thanks for sharing.
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My mother was like yours – cooking wasn’t her thing – but you’d never know it. The kitchen was her domain; the food she prepared was basic and always healthy. While my heritage is not Hungarian, my mom liked to use paprika in many of her recipes.
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Yes, it is odd that there is only the one spice but my Dad was careful to remind me not to add any salt. Maybe there is enough in the butter.
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You are so welcme.
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I do love the crockpot too but tried this recipe there and it was over cooked.
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I remember it so well.
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I think the sour cream incorporated into the final paprikash dish is the way it is supposed to be but there are too many people in my life who hate sour cream.
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That is exciting to know we may be related!
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My grandgirls think I am in love anyway.
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I cook but only in the most basic forms…. simplistic is the way to go.
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The Chicken Paprikash is always in demand in this family.
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You are so right Eliza… it’s all that butter!
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Yes, the proper way to do it is to add in the sour cream at the end, but for all the sour cream haters, we add it in as a personal choice. I will now look for the Hungarian sweet paprika but have used whatever paprika I find.
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Hmph! In small dabs you can’t takes it. It just makes it creamy and rich.
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I would so love that ❤
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