Hungary
Csáky-rostélyos
Beef roulades with a lecsó-and-egg filling in a velvety paprika sauce
90 min·4 servings
Lecsó (pepper-tomato stew)
Hungarian stew of pale sweet peppers, tomatoes and onions with sweet paprika, eaten on its own and used as a base for other dishes.
Lecsó is a slowly stewed mixture of pale green or yellow Hungarian sweet peppers, ripe tomatoes and onions, traditionally started in lard or bacon fat and seasoned with paprika. It tastes sweet and fruity with a mild acidity, the peppers turn soft but stay in pieces, and the whole is juicy rather than soupy. In Hungary it is cooked fresh in summer or preserved for winter, then served as a side, with eggs, sausage or rice, or used as a base for goulash and braises. In German-speaking countries it is sold in jars as Letscho in many supermarkets; in English-speaking countries look in Eastern European shops or order it online, though it is easy to make from ordinary ingredients.
Substitute:
The best option is to make it yourself: soften pale pointed peppers or mild yellow peppers with onions in lard, add tomatoes and sweet paprika, and cook down. Jarred versions are often sweeter and more vinegary than homemade and can shift the seasoning of a dish. Italian peperonata comes close but lacks the paprika and the lard flavour, which you should add; using only red bell peppers makes the result sweeter and less fresh-tasting.
Used in · 1 recipe