Galician seafood dish--question about paprika

[ljt2r]

This dish is from a seafood book by Mark Bittman published in 1994--i.e., before smoked paprika was easily found. It just calls for "paprika"--in the dish is scallops or shrimp roasted with tomato, onion, parsley, olive oil--and paprika. Do you think it is supposed to be smoked or not? I vastly prefer smoked paprika but would prefer not to use it if I am bastardizing the dish.

[avariell]

I don't think it matters either way, but I would probably not use smoked in this case. You could always add the regular and then add some smoked if you thought the dish would improve with it...

[MinEaston]

my grandfather was from Galicia...soooo I have memories of my grandmother cooking. She used what was sold as "pimenton" in Argentina (where he'd emigrated). It was more of a smoked paprika than not.

For the recipe you describe, I would use half regular, half smoked. It sounds delicious; I'll keep my eye out for your review / blog posting!

[lswilson]

Can you please post the recipe? Sounds like something we would like.

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by MinEaston

my grandfather was from Galicia...soooo I have memories of my grandmother cooking. She used what was sold as "pimenton" in Argentina (where he'd emigrated). It was more of a smoked paprika than not.

For the recipe you describe, I would use half regular, half smoked. It sounds delicious; I'll keep my eye out for your review / blog posting!

Awesome--I feel justified in using it!

lswilson--stay tuned, I'll post it after I type it for my blog...

[avariell]

MinEaston- off topic but Laura will forgive me, you should get yourself to Galicia! I spent about a week in Galicia/Galego* when I lived in Portugal. It was one of the coolest places I have ever been. So incredibly beautiful and isolated... and the food was divine.
*Of course, I think Galego because I came at it from the Portuguese side.

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by avariell

MinEaston- off topic but Laura will forgive me, you should get yourself to Galicia! I spent about a week in Galicia/Galego* when I lived in Portugal. It was one of the coolest places I have ever been. So incredibly beautiful and isolated... and the food was divine.
*Of course, I think Galego because I came at it from the Portuguese side.

Oh I did not realize you had been there. State your case for not using it.

[scudgal]

I am Gallego on my mother's side. Galicia is beautiful and the food is amazing - lots of wonderful seafood. FYI - the region is Galicia, the language is Gallego.

Can't wait to see the recipe!

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by scudgal

I am Gallego on my mother's side. Galicia is beautiful and the food is amazing - lots of wonderful seafood. FYI - the region is Galicia, the language is Gallego.

Can't wait to see the recipe!

Do you have an opinion on smoked or not smoked?

PS I think maybe Galicia IS Galego (one "L") in Portuguese. Not sure but just a guess based on how she said it.

[scudgal]

Originally Posted by ljt2r

Do you have an opinion on smoked or not smoked?

PS I think maybe Galicia IS Galego (one "L") in Portuguese. Not sure but just a guess based on how she said it.

I would use half regular and half smoked I think the first time I tried the recipe. But I am no expert on using smoked paprika as my mother cooked only with regular paprika since smoked wasn't available in the US when I was a kid.

The Portugese language is similar to the Galician (Gallego) dialect so I don't believe Galicia is Galego in Portugese either. Galicia is Galicia in Castilian Spanish and Gallego Spanish I believe and also in Portugese to my knowledge.

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by scudgal

I would use half regular and half smoked I think the first time I tried the recipe. But I am no expert on using smoked paprika as my mother cooked only with regular paprika since smoked wasn't available in the US when I was a kid.

The Portugese language is similar to the Galician (Gallego) dialect so I don't believe Galicia is Galego in Portugese either. Galicia is Galicia in Castilian Spanish and Gallego Spanish I believe and also in Portugese to my knowledge.

OK I got clarification--In Portuguese Galego refers to a geographical area, encompassing area on both sides of the border. So Galego is not the word for Galicia so much, as in Portugal, one would call that area Galego, including the part on the Spanish side of the border. Kind of like Basque. Josie majored in Portuguese and spent a semester in Portugal, so I had to call and ask.

I will go with either smoked or half of each then I think--gametime decision.

[scudgal]

Can't wait to hear how it comes out! Do let us know!

[avariell]

Ok so I doubted myself enough to go and look through my Portugal stuff - and I was wrong but I am also right
No one in Portugal would ever say Gallego - that is clearly Spanish. In Portugal the language is Galego. But you are correct in that I was mis-remembering the name of the region (to a Portuguese person). The region in Portuguese is Galezia (probably spelled a couple different ways). At least I knew I wasn't crazy when I said that it definitely isn't called Galecia to anyone in Portugal (and I realize there is lots of debate over the borders and whatnot in this area so depending on which side you learn about it from, you are biased towards either the Spanish or Portuguese POV).

[ljt2r]

OK, here is the recipe (sorry for the delay--stuff published in weird ordered on my blog recently and this got shunted to the back). Here are pics.

Roasted Sea Scallops Galician Style
Mark Bittman, Fish: The Complete Guide To Buying & Cooking

1 medium size fresh tomato, roughly chopped (I used frozen from the summer)
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
2 T fresh parsley (plus some extra for sprinkling at end--my addition)
1 t paprika (Bittman does not say, the book is from 1994 so I decided to use smoked, which I prefer)
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs sea scallops

Preheat the oven to 400 F (I actually preheated to 450 F because after the first night I realized my very cold previously froze tomatoes were delaying things). Mix together all of the ingredients except the scallops and dump them into a baking dish that is large enough to hold all of the scallops in one layer. Bake until the juices begin to bubble--Bittman claims 10 minutes but mine took longer. Mix in the scallops, return to the oven and bake until the scallops are opaque halfway through, about 10 minutes. Serve with rice or pasta.

Laura's note: The first night I stuck very closely to the recipe, being a complete novice at this sort of thing. I served them with pasta. The second night, when I took pictures, I served them with rice and corn and beans. I used chipotle, cumin, cilantro and lime juice in the roasting. I preferred the higher octane flavor of the second night, but would consider making them the Galician style again, just upping the spices and adding lemon juice at the end. It really was a phenomenal way to cook shrimp.