Hungarian Lecsó

Lecsó, Lečo, Letscho or Leczo is a savory Hungarian vegetable stew, consiting of peppers, sausage, tomato, onion, lard, salt, sugar and ground paprika. The Hungarian recipe calls for yellow Hungarian peppers, which are moderately spicy. In north America, a suitable substitute for the Hungarian pepper would be Jalapeño, Guajillo, or New Mexican Anaheim peppers. In other words, do not substitute Serrano, Habanero or Thai chiles in the same amount...

Lecsó is a very colorful dish. Because of the different color peppers that are in season, it is a popular dish in Eastern Europe in the summer. Green, red, yellow peppers and tomatoes can be combined, giving the dish a very cheerful look. A relative of the lecsó is the peperonata from Italy, although it is less spicy. We think that some of the New Mexican pepper stews i.e. Posole, are actually closer to the Lecsó.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tbsp paprika (add some cayenne pepper or New Mexican red chile powder if more horsepower is desired)
• 2-3 lbs peppers (yellow, red, green), seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 2 cups tomatoes, pelled and chopped
• 2 cups Wiener sausage, bratwurst or kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper -- to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the lard or oil in a large pot over medium-high flame. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and starting to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the paprika until well blended. Remove from heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and return the pot to the flame. Stir in the peppers, tomatoes, sausage, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the peppers are cooked through and soft. Add a little water if necessary to keep a sauce-like consistency.
3. Break the eggs directly into the pot and stir until well blended. Adjust seasoning and serve.
4. YIELD: Serves 4-6.

cooking page | email

Last updated: October 30, 2009