Paprika

This is a spice that's ground from dried sweet red peppers – both mild and hot – and comes labelled as such.

In this case hot does not really mean chilli-hot, but more piquant, so have no fear. It is made in Hungary and used extensively in Hungarian and Austrian dishes (in wonderful pepper-scented stews such as goulash or chicken paprika). The Spanish also produce paprika and it turns up in many of their recipes – the famous chorizo sausage is made with it. Recently Spain has been producing smoked paprika from dried smoked peppers, and this has added a whole new dimension to this particular spice.

Once again, remember the rule: buy in small quantities and replace frequently. If you can't find it in supermarkets, smoked pimentón is available from Seasoned Pioneers