What can I use for intensive flavor to replace *smoke paprika* in a recipe.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Most "smoked" products taste like the inside of a chimney would taste...should I ever be in the situation where I would be tasting the inside of a chimney.

I was thinking of harissa.

ah, it's for a cauliflower frittata with smoke mozzarella and smoked paprika. I used plain mozz and plain paprika the last time and it was boring as all get out.

but I like the idea of the dish.

 
Personally, I think you may be mistaken about smoked paprika. It, is, IMO, much

more flavorful and not chemical (as liquid smoke) and adds depth. I use both sweet smoked and hot smoked depending on the dish. I think harissa is not at all smoked, but really deliciously heat. Just my opinion--not a chimney in the least. ;o)

 
if you do have the smoked paprika around....

..... just use 1/3 of it + 2/3 of the regular

I think you might find it ok then.

I have to say I find its flavor to be overwhelming sometimes and feel that many recipes add too much of it - I like it better when it's more subtle

I have three types of paprika in the pantry - sweet Hungarian, spicy Hungarian, and smoked - it is interesting how much the flavor can change when you mix and match. I never add exclusively the smoked one

 
and among smoked there is hot, sweet and I once had bittersweet. I think smoke

flavor CAN be overdone, even in BBQ sauce, so your idea of reducing it is good. But to me it is not that creosote flavor that can come from something like liquid smoke--it is a real "flavor".

 
No, I'm sure I'm not mistaken. I've tried at least five different versions of *smoked paprika*...

...and my taste buds have not liked any of them.

Not one little smokey, dirty, sooty bit.

On the other hand, my friend who has been given five free jars/boxes of smoked paprika is very happy.

I have sweet paprika, I have hot paprika and have given away all of the smoked.

I'm really looking for a different spice profile that will lift this dish out of mediocrity.

 
I don't like the smoked flavor either. I would try something spicy. Your idea of Harissa is a

good one. Frittatas are forgiving. I would go with a spicy zing.

 
Have you tried the French spice Piment de Espelete? I love it and I think Sally is fond

of it as well. It may just bring that flavor you are after. I love the smoked paprika and always combine it with the sweet paprika. Have you tried the Tabasco Chipotle pepper sauce? Buy a small bottle of it and see if you like it. It adds a bit of smokey with tang and is superb in foods.

I do like liquid smoke. I have a recipe for a whole brisket which uses 1 tbsp. and garlic salt to season it wrapped in foil for 8 hours. I use the Wrights Liquid Smoke. In fact, I am posting the recipe for the BBQ Sauce and the brisket later today. It is amazing.

 
Get a small can of chipotle chile en adobo. Smoked jalape

...and can be used to add a little zing or a lot of zing, depending on how they are used.

What I do is empty the little can onto a cutting board, liquid and all, and quickly chop with a knife until it is minced fine. You can also do this in a blender or food processor, but I don't like messing up an appliance for such a small job.

Place teaspoons (or half-teaspoons) of the paste onto parchment and freeze. Once frozen, you can bag them all up in a ziploc and keep in the freezer.

You probably already know this, but a little goes a long way. They are hot, smoky and flavorful.

Good stuff! I think your frittata would be delicious with a dab of chipotle chile!

Michael

 
Oh! So that's the secret. I used half a can and all of the beautiful red sauce and couldn't taste

ANYTHING for a week. My tastebuds were utterly fried.

So I have tread very carefully around anything having the word chipotle in it. If I do decide to go this route, I'll give you quantities a test.

 
Yikes, I never use more than one Chipotle pepper in Adobo Sauce in any recipe. That stuff is

delicious but very spicy. The rest of the peppers and sauce I put into ice cube trays to freeze, then wrap each cube in a fold lock top baggie. I then put all the peppers in baggies in a 1 qt. freezer bag and they are ready to pop into a dish when I need them.

 
As I said, I freeze the paste I make in 1/2 tsp. quantities or so. Only hard-core fire eaters...

...load up a dish with that stuff. Pure LAVA.

I use it to provide heat and a background smoky flavor. Background. Because foregrounding these little ordinances can be lethal.

Michael

 
Yep. You nailed the description perfectly. For some reason I can enjoy

beef brisket that has been cooked/smoked for hours...that doesn't have that wet ashtray smell to me.

Not sure where my olfactory senses draw the line, but smoked paprika has crossed it.

 
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