VittlesVamp

Why Isn't Chicken Paprikash The Must-Have Dish On Every Menu In NYC?

I'm serious here. When is the last time you had Chicken Paprikash? Done correctly, made with real Hungarian Paprika and a lot of love (not to mention sour cream), it is a killer dish.

Made it recently for an Austrian-German-Hungarian feast at Chez Vamp with kudos all around. Served it with piping hot Spaetzle and a cool German Cucumber Salad. Perfect Tyrolean winter fare. (And lederhosen aside, I have to say that the mountains of dirty frozen snow in Brooklyn as of late have required Alpine hiking rigor.)

Need proof that Chicken Paprikash can take on the likes of NYC menu standards like Chicken Pot Pie or Shrimp and Grits? Try my recipe below and taste for yourself.

Chicken Paprikash

1 chicken (3 - 4 lbs) cut into ten pieces (I cut the breasts in half)
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
1 lg onion minced
1 1/2 cloves garlic minced
1 TBSP Sweet Hungarian Paprika
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 Italian frying pepper (aka cubanelle pepper), diced
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

Mix 1/2 cup flour with salt and pepper, and dredge chicken pieces in the mixture, shaking off excess flour. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, adding chicken a few pieces at a time, turning once to allow for browning on each side. Put chicken aside. Add onion, garlic, paprika, peppers and tomatoes, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring for another minute until incorporated. Pour in chicken broth and stir before placing chicken pieces back into the Dutch oven. Cover and allow to cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, adding more time if necessary, until chicken is tender and cooked through. Meanwhile, mix together sour cream with remaining 2 TBSP flour. Mix into the chicken and sauce. Allow to cook for another 3 -4 minutes. Sprinkle parsley on top before serving.

My Go-To's: Buvette

Thought it was time to break out a few posts about my standbys -- the spots with great food and drink that have yet to fail me; a guide to the restaurants that I turn to time and time again. First up, a heavenly slice of a French cafe known as Buvette. Chef Jody Williams created a charming, almost giddy scene, when she opened the doors to this West Village enclave on Grove Street. Streaming with sunlight, the room beckons you inside.

The only hitch? Sometimes you'll have to wait for a table or bar stool. Not a problem in my opinion. Especially when you see that democracy is most definitely in play. (Once stood outside on an early summer evening alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, who also waited a half-hour for a seat.)

Admittedly, I find myself hitting Buvette at off-hours to avoid a wait. If I plan correctly, I can immediately sidle up to the bar or grab a table, order a glass of wine or a bracing espresso and joyfully snack on the restaurant's series of ambitious small plates.

If I'm in a breakfast mood, a flaky, butter-rich Croissant with tart raspberry jam might do the trick, or perhaps perfectly scrambled eggs prepared with the steam from a cappuccino frother. Top the eggs with paper-thin slivers of shaved Proscuitto of slices of Smoked Salmon and it's quite the substantial morning or brunch-time meal. If my cravings are of the lunch or dinner variety, I often end up ordering Williams' ethereal Brandade De Morue and slather thick slices of toast with this addictive house-cured salt cod spread. Sometimes, I'll simply get a hunk of the Country Pate, served up with mouth-puckering cornichons and a few meaty olives, and compliment it with a plate of wilted leeks in a mustardy vinaigrette. Too ravenous for something along those lines? I'll go straight for a "tartinette" graced with salted butter and anchovies, followed by the hearty comfort of Coq au Vin or Cassoulet.

And, no meal at Buvette is complete without dessert. Seriously. Forgo these sweets at your own peril: an exquisite caramelized wedge of Apple Tarte Tartin with a dollop of Creme Fraiche, or a scoop of miraculously dense, ever-so-slightly bitter Chocolate Mousse. Either way, you cannot go wrong.

I've been a die-hard fan of Chef Williams since she was at Gottino, and with Buvette going strong now with branches in both New York and Paris, I expect to enjoy her hospitality and brilliance in the kitchen for years to come. And, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up purchasing her upcoming Buvette cookbook this April too. A little Buvette at Chez Vamp might be a very good thing indeed.