Name: Lescsó (Hungarian Pepper Stew)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup neutral oil
• 1 1/4 pounds yellow onions (2 medium), halved and sliced
• 1 heaping tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, if not using meat)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (2 medium), diced large
• 3 pounds cubanelle or bell peppers (12 to 15 cubanelle or 8 to 10 bell), cut into 2- to 3inch strips
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 12 ounces smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, sliced into rounds or on the bias (optional)
• Sour cream and/or fresh dill, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until shimmering.
• Add the onions, stir to coat in the oil, cover and cook, stirring intermittently, until soft and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the paprika (both kinds, if not using meat) and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, stirring to deglaze the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Cook until the tomatoes begin to release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the peppers and salt, and stir to incorporate.
• Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the peppers have reduced and softened, stirring every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes.
• Add the kielbasa, if using, and cook until the peppers are soft but retain a bit of bite, about 10 more minutes.
• Taste, and season with more salt, if desired, then remove from the heat.
• Ladle into bowls, top with a dollop of sour cream and/or a little dill, if desired, and serve.

Comments: 3/11/2023 - I used three large onions (about 1 lb 6 oz), five on-the-vine tomatoes (about 1.4 lbs), three orange bell peppers, three green bell peppers, one tablespoon of smoked paprika, and a 12-ounce Polish kielbasa. Cutting the vegetables fast enough to stay ahead of the cooking was hard. Gail enjoyed it.
I stretched it for three meals by adding a cup of egg noodles on the third night.

Source: Washington Post, 9 Nov 2022

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