Cucumber Salad
This simple and refreshing salad is a pleasing foil for the chicken paprikas.
Ingredients
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2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced very thin
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1 tablespoon kosher salt
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1/2 small Vidalia or other sweet onion or 1 small yellow onion, sliced very thin
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4 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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Freshly ground black pepper
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3 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
Chicken paprikas
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1 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock
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3 tablespoons oil
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1/2 cup chopped onion
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2 tablespoons sweet paprika (see Sources)
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1 3-pound chicken, cut into four pieces, or 2-1/2 pound chicken pieces (thighs work nicely)
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
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1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped or 3 canned seeded, chopped tomatoes
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1 tablespoon flour
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1/2 cup sour cream
Directions
1.
Put the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with about 1-1/2 teaspoons of the salt, tossing to distribute evenly. Put the onion in a small bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, adding about 1 tsp. of the vinegar as well--the salt and vinegar will mellow the bite of the raw onion. Let the vegetables stand for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes and then rinse them in cool water and gently squeeze out excess moisture, blotting with paper towels if necessary.
2.
Mix the cucumbers and onions. Add the oil, the remaining 1 tablespoons vinegar and a good grind of fresh pepper. Taste and add more vinegar if you like. Toss well with the dill. Chill for at least 30 minutes and serve chilled as a condiment-type salad with the chicken.
Chicken paprikas
1. Put the stock in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce by half to concentrate the flavor.
2. Heat the oil in a deep skillet or saute pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces snugly. Add the onion; cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. It should be well colored but not burned. Reduce the heat slightly, add the paprika, and stir for a few minutes to develop the flavor.
3. Season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, skin side down. Brown them well over medium high, about 7 minutes on each side. Add the reduced stock and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer about 15 minutes. Add the green pepper and tomato (and a little water if the pan seems dry--Hungarians would say the chicken should almost fry instead of "swim," so don't add too much stock). Replace the lid and simmer until the chicken is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 min. longer, turning the pieces once during cooking.
4. Transfer the chicken pieces to a dish and keep them warm while you finish the sauce. Spoon off as much grease as you can. Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors even more. Stir the flour into the sour cream with a fork or whisk and then whisk this into the sauce. Simmer for about 4 minutes to cook away any floury taste and to bring the flavors together; taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Return the chicken pieces to the pan to reheat and coat them with the sauce.
5. Serve with boiled potatoes, rice, or the Hungarian accompaniment, which would be galushka, tiny egg noodles or dumplings that are similar to spaetzle.
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