Paprika, Garnish or Main Ingredient?

In the Pilot Winter Log I wrote about my grandmother teaching me how to make Paprikis Chicken. 

Paprika is intimately associated with Hungarian cuisine especially paprikash and goulash. Many spiced sausages incorporate it, including the Spanish chorizos. Paprika is often used as a garnish, sprinkled on eggs, hors d’ouvres and salads for color. It spices and colors cheeses and cheese spreads, and is used in marinades and smoked foods. It can be incorporated in the flour dusting for chicken and other meats. Many Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish recipes use paprika for soups, stews, casseroles and vegetables. In India, paprika is sometimes used in tandoori chicken, to give the characteristic red color. Paprika is an emulsifier, temporarily bonding with oil and vinegar to make a smooth mixture for a salad dressing. This sweet and mild to pungent and fiery spice is a favorite of mine and many of the dishes prepared in Hungary call for paprika as a main ingredient!

Garnish or a main ingredient?  Some would never think of this spice as a main ingredient, using it only to garnish their deviled eggs.  They only use the spice for the color and not the unique flavor it has.  Paprika deteriorates quickly, so therefore, when it is only used occasionally as a garnish it just sits on a shelf loosing its zest. 

As a leader are you allowing your team to deteriorate, loosing its zest?   Leadership expert Warrne Bennis said, “The leader finds greatness in the group, and he or she helps the members find it in themselves.”  You team can consist of sweet and mild or pungent fiery people.  But if you do not utilize their gifts they will loose their zest.  It can cause chaos for the group. 

Leaders need to see the special gifts everyone has and help showcase the talents they bring to the team.  If you have a highly energetic, innovative thinker on your team, you would not want that person in a role such as secretary.  Why?  Well club secretaries take the minutes of the meeting (they do not participate in open discussions).  You want your innovative thinkers to lead discussions and bring ideas to the table.  That person would have a more effective role as a director as a first year officer. 

List the names of your members.  Next to each name write what that person contributes.  If they do not have a clear role or function, then write what you believe their potential to be.  Look for holes and duplications and begin looking for people to fill those holes.  Be prepared to challenge current members with potential to rise to your expectations. 

Great teams do not come together by accident.  As a leader you are continually developing your membership.  Each member should be the main ingredient in the task, not a garnish.  Spend time with them to mentor and develop.  Give them extra responsibility and place higher expectations on them.  If there are people on your list who add no value or bring membership down, you should consider moving them out of a leadership position. 

Remember your membership is the main ingredient to success not a garnish. 

And for those of you wondering how to make my grandma’s Paprikás csirke…

Authentic Hungarian
Chicken Paprikas
(Csirkepaprikas)
Every country household had a yard full of chickens. Chicken dishes that could be slow cooked on the stove for supper were plentiful and cheap to make. Paprikas was a weekly dish for supper. A pot of dumplings, and perhaps a platter of pickled hungarian peppers and a loaf of crusty home baked bread was all that was need for ones well being. Every meal was eaten with gusto.

• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 Tbsp. shortening, corn oil or lard
• 3 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
• 1/8 Tsp. black pepper or whole pepper corns
• 2 Tsp. salt
• 4 to 5 lbs. chicken disjointed, use legs, thighs, breast and back for best flavor
• water
  
  

Brown onions in shortening. Add seasonings and chicken, brown 10 minutes. Add water, cover and let simmer slowly until it is tender. It will smell wonderful!  Cook about 1 hour. 


Sauce

• ½ stick shortening
• ½ cup flour

melt shortening and flour together
Take all juice from chicken pour into flour mixture – a little at a time (add water to thin out).  Then add sour cream, salt, pepper


Dumplings

• 4 eggs
• 4 cups of flour
• 1T salt
• ½ cup water

Mix all together.  Drop teaspoonful into boiling salted water.  Cook until dumplings rise to top. 

Add dumplings to chicken sauce.