This Smoked Sweet Paprika, also known as Pimentón de la Vera Dulce, is from Spain where mild red peppers are dried in an oak wood-burning oven before being ground. It is rich orangey-red in color and tastes smoky and with no heat.
The Spanish add it to seafood, sausages, rice, and many other savory dishes. Smoked paprika's use in cooking is almost endless. It adds an extra level of flavor to chili, soup, and stew; sparks up sauces, scrambled eggs or omelettes; and makes deviled eggs or spiced nuts deliciously different. Essential to a Spanish sauce named romesco, smoked paprika complements many Southwestern dishes as well. Rub it on meats to add a subtle, smoked flavor without actual smoking. Sprinkle it over rice, potatoes or casseroles. Finally, try drizzling olive oil flavored with Pimenton de la Vera over steak, chicken, fish, or vegetables.