Hungarian Lecso

Hungarian Lecso is an extremely versatile dish that has as many variations as there are tastes. It is a dish of tomatoes, onions, yellow banana peppers and paprika. From that basic mix you can add as many other ingredients as you like. Many folks cook eggs or potatoes in the mixture as it stews for a luncheon or even a breakfast dish. If you want something more meaty, Hungarian sausage, or any type of sausage you like may be added. Bacon can also be added depending on your taste. Lecso makes a good meal all by itself with crusty bread but is more traditionally served with homemade Hungarian noodles.

Yani’s Hungarian Lecso

2 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil
2 ½ tablespoons hot Hungarian Paprika
5 large tomatoes - about 2 ½ pounds - chopped coarsely
2 sweet red peppers seeded and diced
3 banana peppers seeded and diced
3 large onion very coarsely chopped
1 pound of kielbasa sausage cut into ¼ inch slices
½ pound of bacon sliced very thin (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in a pan. Cook onions till clear then add the peppers and stir fry till limp. Sprinkle with the paprika and stir to mix well. Add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for ½ and hour. Serve hot with hot crusty bread, hot buttered noodles or cook small pieces of potato right in the sauce while it is simmering.

Grandma’s Lecso

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of hot Hungarian Paprika
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 cups of canned diced tomatoes with juice
4 of the largest sweet Vidalia onions you can find very coarsely chopped
2 sweet red peppers coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
6 medium potatoes peeled, cooked and mashed
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Heat the oil. Add the paprika and minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds in the oil. Add the onions and peppers and cook until the onions are clear and the peppers are soft. Put the tomatoes and brown sugar into the pan, mix well and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Divide the mashed potatoes into four large bowls or mound in a plate. Make a depression in the centre of the potatoes. Fill the depression with the tomato mixture. Top each mound with ½ a cup of the grated cheese.

Although both recipes appear similar they have entirely different tastes. Both are great.

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