Hungarian pepper tomato stew (Lecsó)
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 8 Bell peppers green
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 2 medium onions
- 3 tbsp canola or sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 pairs frankfurters, wieners, sausages or veggie dogs cut into ½ inch circles optional
Instructions
- Dice the onions and tomatoes, and cut the peppers into inch wide strips.
- In a large pot on medium to high heat sauté the onion in the oil until they are tender and golden.
- Remove the pot from the heat, add the Hungarian sweet paprika, and mix it well.
- Put the pot back on the heat, add the peppers and the salt, and stir. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot, and cook the peppers for about 20 minutes, until soft. Stir every 8-10 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, stir, and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- At this point you can either serve it as a veggie paprika stew, or add frankfurter, sausage or veggie dog circles, and cook the stew for about 5 more minutes.
Notes
The proportion of peppers to tomatoes is important. Using too much tomato makes the stew too watery. I use fewer tomatoes, but if you like it with more liquid, add one or two more.
Do you like it spicy? Add some hot peppers to the Bell peppers. It is going to be a different experience, I promise :).
Lecsó with eggs: Usually I do this with the leftovers the next day. Heat up some lecsó on medium to high heat in a frying pan. In the meantime beat some eggs (I usually count an egg per person). Once the lecsó is hot, add the egg, and stir the mixture constantly for a few minutes, until the eggs are done.
You can serve the lecsó by itself, or with some rice or noodles on the side.
Lecsó keeps well in the fridge for several days.
One of the best part is the sauce - have some fresh bread ready to mop the sauce. Believe me, every single drop counts :).
Enjoy!