The autumn sun is streaming full through my kitchen windows – bands of gold shifting across the floor. My dog’s face is warm and soft in the November light.
If only it would stay. This way.
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This is a happy mood autumn dish that pairs well with a dark ale.
And, this. (Who’s old enough to remember trooper?)
Paprika comes in different flavours and varieties. It is essentially derived from grinding the pods of peppers – including sweet bell peppers and chili peppers.
Depending on the variety of pepper and how it is processed, the colour can range from bright red to brown and the flavour from mild to spicy. The sweet variety is often associated with Hungary and the hotter, smoked variety, with Spain although both regions offer a range of sweetness and pungency.
Paprika sold in grocery stores tends to be neither sweet nor hot (some might say without flavour). It’s a shame that generic paprika is what most of us are accustomed to because the higher quality varieties are imbued with flavour and provide a completely different experience.
Regardless of what variety you use for this recipe, the surrounding ingredients will carry the flavour.
Warm Mushroom and Toasted Paprika Bean Salad
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1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
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2 cups white kidney beans, well rinsed if using canned
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6-8 shiitake mushrooms, brushed and sliced
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2 cups baby spinach or other mixed greens
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1 heaping Tbsp quality paprika (preferably Hungarian Sweet but ordinary paprika will work fine)
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1/2 tsp chili powder
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1/2 tsp cumin powder
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1/2 tsp ginger powder
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sprinkle cinnamon powder
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Handful sweet pepper slices for garnish
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Note: mushrooms soak up water like a sponge. If you soak mushrooms in water to wash them, it’s a little bit like trying to sauté a fully drenched sponge. You will end up with a lot of water and not a very nice sear. It’s a long, messy, frustrating experience. Instead, use a potato/vegetable brush to gently brush dirt and debris off mushrooms. You could also use a damp cloth if preferred but try to resist soaking or running them under water.
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Warm a large skillet over low heat with some olive oil. Add onions to skillet, stirring until they start to soften. Add beans to skillet, mixing gently, taking care not to mash the beans. Once beans have begun to warm, add paprika, stirring to combine with beans and onion. Be sure to keep heat low otherwise the paprika will blacken and burn. Add remaining spices to mixture, stirring to combine. Allow flavours to permeate on lowest heat for a few minutes. Remove onion and bean mixture from skillet and set aside.
Using the same skillet that was used for onions and beans, add a little more olive oil and sauté sliced shiitake mushrooms over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. The mushrooms will take on the residual flavour and colour of the spices.
To serve, place about a half cup of spinach on 4 separate serving plates. Add a half cup of onion and bean mixture over top of spinach, followed by a generous spoonful of shiitake mushrooms. Garnish with a few slices of sweet bell pepper (I found miniatures).
Serves 4
Surely I must have lamented the bean situations in France before? We can get:
– Haricots verts
– Haricots Blancs
– Haricots Rouges
– Pois Chiches
– Flageolets
… and of course lentils, split peas and regular peas
Aside from that, that’s it. I guess if you look really hard in some special gourmet, mail-order place, of course you can find some others, but in the way of dried/tinned that’s all there is. We can get a few others fresh sometimes, like broad beans but it’s just ridiculous. I went to a small supermarket in my parents’ home town and they had scores of beans… black-eyed, butter beans, black turtle beans (lol) etc etc. I brought a load back with me… keep meaning to use them!
this looks delicious with paprika~ i read about the hungarian paprika from another food blog too! i’m always looking for new spice combos. thanks for the recipe kelly!
I love the idea of a warm salad, and all the spices in this recipe are making my mouth tingle!
Thanks Amy – the flavours really work well with a dark ale and brillian sunshine! :=)
I love all the pretty colors this dish has to offer and oairing it with a dark ale, yum. That’s a hearty meal! Love it.
Thanks Junia – can’t wait to try your blondies – YUM.
I’m yumming along with you! ;0
I agree, I used to deal with soaking wet mushrooms and think, ‘there’s got to be a better way’ :) Thanks for dropping by Michelle.
I finally learned how to brush off mushrooms with a damp cloth recently and it’s so much better!
Three things I love in one place–mushrooms, paprika, and beans! We’re lucky to have really good selections of bulk spices at a couple of grocery stores, and a new Penzey’s just opened in my neighborhood. I’m thrilled to have access to many paprikas!
I’m picturing this dish using some smoked spanish paprika – yum!
what a delicious cooked salad! mushrooms bring such great flavor and i love paprika!
Thank you Mr. Greg, I very much appreciate that.
‘Full of joy’ – love that! Thank you Sissi. Yes, we are being treated to unusually sunny weather here (though today it’s below 0 – chilly out there!!)
Thanks Sweet Caroline – hope you’re having a sunny weekend :)
Kim, you know you always make my day. Love your thoughtfulness and support, xox.
I agree, a warm salad is so different and perfect with the cooling temperatures… thanks Viviane.
ha-ha, I often feel the same way when I’m browsing sites – I just want to reach in and taste all the deliciousness out there… :0)
You’re so right, the cinnamon was perfect here and you don’t need much to convey the flavour. Cheers Laura.
I find it really helpful otherwise you’re just dealing with loads of water and it’s really difficutly to saute under those conditions. Have a great day Stephanie.
I agree, paprika warming weather for sure. Glad you checked out the tune – catchy isn’t it? Have a good day Eliot :0
Not surprised – the band was not well known outside Canada but check them out they have extremely catchy, feel good tunes!!
hee-hee… thanks Kay :0
Ahh, thanks so much Chris.
Yummy no doubt – thanks YC!
Thank you Amy – I think it is probably overexposed but you know, it captured the feeling of light and that’s what I was feeling in the moment.
You mean you don’t especially like the BEANS?? Hee-hee!! Thanks Kristy.
Tandoori is a bute isn’t it? So gorgeously flavourful. Hope you post your recipe soon!
Thank you Angie – have a nice Sunday.
Ah, thanks Karen!
No sun in Seattle these days? This will warm you up Sarah!! :)
ha-ha! I think your reading is probably the correct one. Tough to get all the elements into a catchy title and still make sense :o
So glad one of my contemporaries knows Trooper (actually remember dancing to it at our weddings!!)
I’ve never made hasbrowns (I always visualize the ones at fast food joints – must investigate more) – thanks France.
Yes, and the olive oil certainly lubricates things – :0)
Allergic to mushroom? Oh no… yes, easily swapped – you could do some interesting caramelized onions here for chewy consistency.
More likely because the band is not well known outside of Canada although you are probably a decade (or two) younger than me Charles – ha! White kidney beans are known more officially as ‘cannellini beans’ and what do you mean you can’t get them in France??
Ha-ha… Trooper is a Canadian band that was ‘hot’ in the 70s… although I’m not sure how much beyond the border exposure they achieved. Regardless, have always loved that feel good tune!
Hi Yadsia, it is particularly well suited to lunch; agreed.
Thanks for dropping by, look forward to visiting your enticing site.
Lovely salad Kelly!
:D
This sounds like a perfect lunch.
Kelly…what a wonderful salad! I love a warm mushroom salad. Though I must admit that I never know quite when to use either kind of paprika. And I should be old enough to know that song…but I’ve not heard it before now. Fun and upbeat song! And what’s this I’m reading about you cracking the Foodgawker wall? Tell us the secret! Well deserved my friend! Congratulations! : )
“Who’s old enough to remember trooper?” – not this spring chicken!
Beautiful salad Kelly, and congratulations on cracking the foodgawker “wall” :) I was wondering – what are “white kidney beans”? Are they the same as haricot beans, or am I thinking of something completely different? Of course it doesn’t matter because it’s not like I’ll be able to buy them over in France :(
I know what you mean about mushrooms – that’s why I don’t often cook with shiitake mushrooms (even though my God they’re good!). Usually I can only find dried ones and by the time they’re rehydrated… well… trying to chop them is like trying to cut a sponge :D
This is wonderful. I use only the Hungarian Sweet Paprika as I agree the regular one has no flavor…just makes the dish look pretty!! I’m allergic to mushroom, but I could easily swap it out!!
I rely on colorful paprika a lot for cooking some brown food like mushrooms and chicken. Your salad looks beautiful and delicious and I thought it’s interesting that all the seasonings are in powder (dry) form and no liquid (besides oil) I guess juices coming from mushrooms and paprika will give nice natural sauce while you saute.
I love paprika, the spanish sweet and the hungarian smoked are my two favorites! I love them and use them…more than I should probably. Ever try them on hashbrowns. delicious. I love how you combined the earthiness of the mushrooms with the complex peppery taste of paprika. What a lovely combination. The added beans for protein is brilliant.
Congratulations on making FoodGawker with this delightful recipe! A sure crowd pleaser – can’t wait to serve this one up! Wouldn’t have thought of adding bean to this kind of salad, nice touch.
Oh and the song, one of my top feel good songs, love it!
Thanks for sharing it… great photo too!
Lynn
I have to confess that when I first read the title I read it so quickly that I thought, a paprika bean that was toasted. And then I was like what?! What the heck is a paprika bean?! Then I reread it while actually thinking about the words and got it. I think I might need a nap!
I wouldn’t know anything about sun streaming through my kitchen but this dish sounds totally fantastic!
Your salad looks like fall on a plate.
I am a huge salad fan, but have yet to try anything like this…it looks wholesome and delicious.
I love paprika and have been experimenting more with herbs the last year. I made tandoori chicken last night for the first time. your spice combinations are pretty much what I used for my dish. I love the colors and the wonderful fragrance of the seasonings. I’ll have to try your wonderful vegetarian recipe.
This looks like my kind of salad. I love mushrooms and especially with peppers. I’m printing this one out for soup/salad night! :) You’re going to make my menu planning easy for that night of the week with all of your soups and salads that I want to try. Have a great fall day! I hope you get another day of sun streaming in!
Your photo is particularly lovely today :)
I never knew paprika came from pepper pods! Thanks for the lesson. This looks and sounds delicious. I really need to start buying more veggies…
Sounds delicious. I wonder how it would taste with caramelized onions…
Kelly, you come up with the most delicious, unique recipes – I love this salad! It would be so fun for a dinner party!
When I want to eat badly, I will come here and immediately I snap out of it lol. Seriously. But this Warm Mushroom and Toasted Paprika Bean Salad looks amazing. I never thought to include mushrooms in a salad
Great recipe and great information regarding the paprika and mushrooms! I don’t remember the show – sorry!
Great minds must think alike or it must be paprika weather???? I am really fascinated by the flavors in this dish. I will try it out next time I need a “happy mood dish.” Trooper? I checked out the link and this is definitely a “happy mood” song as well. I will be humming it for a while! :)
Oh yum! This is the perfect fall salad! I bet it has such great flavor! I have a bad habit of washing my mushrooms the wrong way, I need to remember to just wipe them!
This sounds so good! I have some smoked paprika that I love to pair with cumin. Isn’t it great how a bit of cinnamon can set of these flavors?
This looks really good; colorful, flavorful, and I bet it’s just as tasty!:) I love the combination of mushrooms and beans and I just feel like grabbing a spoonful of this now!! :D
Kelly – the colors you’ve conjured up here are so vibrant! Also, it’s good fun to have a warm salad every once and awhile to mix it up. Brava!
~~If only it would stay. This way.~~
Kelly, you are so much more than a foodie….
I looooooooooove every single post.
X
Oh my gosh, Kelly, that looks fantastic! I love all of the colors, too. x
Kelly, your Autumn sun seems to be very Summery :-) The photo is so full of joyful colours I have almost forgotten you live in Canada and not Australia.
This beautiful, sunny salad reminds me I have to cook more with beans. Bean salad sounds like a perfect Autumn dish and a change from my eternal rice salads.
I love paprika, chili or whatever people call it. Strangely I don’t always like the same type. However, if I had to choose one, I’d take Hungarian paprika (both hot and sweet). Although the Korean chili flakes are amazing too… You made me start dreaming about a very hot dish for tomorrow…
I can honestly say this is the prettiest, tastiest looking bean salad I’ve ever seen! Looks great.