Hungarian Rhapsody at the Four Seasons Gresham Restaurant

When have you ever asked someone about their favorite cuisine and had the answer be “Hungarian”?  All that is about to change for me!  Tonight we had the pleasure of dining at the the Budapest Four Seasons Gresham Restaurant.  The chef is Italian, so the menu has both Italian and Hungarian offerings. We experienced a delightful mix of both by making selections from both sides of the menu.  Each course was divine, but my two favorites came from the Hungarian side of the menu: Chilled Peach and Apricot Soup – Almond Crumble, Milk Sorbet, Mint and Lemon Meringue and the Chicken Paprika – Galuska Dumplings, Paprika Sauce and Cucumber Salad.

 

Hungarian Chicken Paprika with Galuska
4 pc. chicken breast with skin
1 cup chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves
5 pc. Hungarian yellow Pepper
(long and yellow color)
3 pc. Tomato
1 tablespoon Sweet paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon Caraway powder
Water
salt and pepper to taste
oil

 

For Paprika Sauce
2 dl. sour cream
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cream

Dice the onion, paprika and tomato and add to a preheated pan; add the chopped garlic. Cook for about 15 minutes. Add water continuously until all the vegetables reach a paste consistency. Finish the sauce with caraway and paprika powder, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Keep boiling for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken breast, cooking for about 15 to 18 minutes (depending on the size of the breast).

Remove the chicken from the Paprika sauce and finish it adding some sour cream, mix with flour to make it thicker if needed. Blend it and pass through a chinois.

Galuska

.15 kg Flour
3 eggs
salt
water
Miss all the ingredients together and strain through strainer with large holds in order to have small button size into boiling water, cooking for 5-6 minutes. Strain the Galuska and keep it under running cold water. Saute the Galuska with a touch of butter before serving.

 

Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers
3 dl Vinegar and water (1:1)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1 clove crushed garlic
salt
pepper

Peel the cucumber and thinly slice it. Season with salt and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain, removing the water and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Let marinate for at least 3 hours and refrigerate before serving.