Prepare your taste buds for a unique and satisfying experience! This recipe is my tribute to a dish that was love at first bite from restaurant Koriander Vendéglő in Esztergom, Hungary. Whether you’re seeking a robust side or a fulfilling vegetarian entrée, this dish delivers. It’s a purée of borlotti or red kidney beans, blended with the rich, dark notes of toasted rye bread (or pumpernickel). A generous hand of smoked paprika infuses every spoonful, while a bright topping of tangy sauerkraut and cool, creamy sour cream provides the perfect counterpoint.
At first, I couldn’t identify exactly what the bean base was, so I asked the chef of Koriander, József Holczhakker, who gladly explained that it’s a cross-cultural creation, blending Serbia’s hearty bean dishes with Hungary’s beloved paprika and a lively kick of sauerkraut. Thankfully he described it in enough detail that I could recreate it once I got home. With this chef’s seasonal and varied menu, I’d gladly let him cook for me any day!
This recipe may be made quickly using canned beans and store-bought sauerkraut. However, it is much more flavorful if you boil dried beans and make your own Sauerkraut (which requires advanced planning for the fermenting time). You did make your own sauerkraut based on my last blog post, right? I hope so, but if not, store-bought it is… Using fresh smoked paprika also makes a big difference in this recipe so be sure to check the expiration date on yours as this ingredient carries a lot of weight.
Arliano Update (Aggiornamento Arliano):
Quick shots from the garden with zucchini almost ready to harvest and leeks growing nicely.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked borlotti or red kidney beans (made from about 1 + 1/4 cups dried beans soaked and boiled, OR from 2, 15-ounce cans drained and very well rinsed)
- 1 1/2 cups dark rye breadcrumbs (e.g. pumpernickel), divided (from about 3 – 4 slices of rye / pumpernickel bread)
- 2 heaping Tablespoons sauerkraut PER each serving
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 heaping teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons Kosher or fine sea salt, divided
- Very quick pickled red onion for garnish (1 small red onion, sliced thinly, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Mix all ingredients and let sit for 60 minutes)
- A drizzle or daub of sour cream or plain yogurt on top for garnish
Directions
- If using dried beans, soak beans overnight in a pot of large water. Replace the water in the morning. Drain and refresh the water again right before cooking. Cover the beans by at least three inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are very soft (anywhere from 2 – 3 hours, depending on the type and age of the dried beans.). Skim off and discard any foam that develops while cooking. Check the water level while cooking; you may need to add more
- If using canned beans, drain, and rinse very well
- About an hour before serving this dish, make the “very quick pickled red onions”. Set them aside
- Tear pieces of rye/pumpernickel bread and process them in a food processor until they are fine breadcrumbs. Bring a small frying pan to medium-low heat and toast the breadcrumbs until they are dry and crispy. Stir frequently. In the last minute or two of toasting the breadcrumbs, add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and the minced garlic to the pan, and mix thoroughly. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a small bowl and set them aside
- Add the drained beans, 1 cup of the toasted breadcrumbs (reserve the remaining breadcrumbs for a garnish), 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt and the olive oil to a food processor and pulse until the all the ingredients are well blended. Alternatively, you can mash these by hand. Slowly add between 1/2 – 3/4 cup water until you reach your desired consistency (anywhere between a thick paste to a loose bean puree – the texture is your choice.). Taste for seasoning and add salt or smoked paprika as desired or needed
- To serve, spread the bean puree on a plate and top with sauerkraut, pickled onions, a daub of sour cream or yogurt, and a sprinkle of the remaining toasted breadcrumbs. NOTE: If you want to go the extra mile, you can pan sear your sauerkraut (quickly and at high heat) as the restaurant Koriander does before using it as a garnish – but that would be gilding the lily!
Greg Nelson Cooks 
Sounds amazing! Thank you!!!
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