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Hungary, Europe · Lecsó (Hungarian Pepper and Tomato Stew)

Bacon-Crackling Lecsó with Creamy Eggs and Garlic Toast

Lecsó cooked in the fat of slowly rendered smoked bacon, finished with eggs and sour cream folded in until just set, served with garlic-rubbed toast.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time45 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsThe eggs are cooked soft and creamy. For young children, pregnant women, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system, cook them 1–2 minutes longer, until no runny egg remains.

Method

  1. Peel the tomatoes: cut a small cross in the base of each, put them in a bowl, cover with boiling water for , then move them to cold water. Slip off the skins and cut the flesh into 2 cm pieces. Peeled tomatoes give a silky sauce with no chewy skin.

  2. Cut the bacon into 1 cm cubes, put it in a wide 24 cm pot and cook slowly over medium-low heat for , until the fat has run out and the pieces are golden, crisp cracklings. Lift the cracklings out with a slotted spoon and leave the fat in the pot.

    Add in this stepSmoked bacon (slab or thick-cut) 80 g

    medium-low heat

  3. Turn the heat down to low heat, add the thinly sliced onion and cook gently for , until translucent, soft and sweet. This slow step builds the sweetness of the lecsó.

    Add in this stepOnion 1

    low heat

  4. Add the peppers, cut into 1 cm strips, and half the salt, and cook over medium heat for , stirring, until they are soft and lightly golden at the edges.

    Add in this stepHungarian wax peppers or bell peppers (yellow and red mixed) 400 gSalt 0.4 tsp

    medium heat

  5. Take the pot off the heat, quickly stir in both paprikas (on direct heat they burn and turn bitter), then add the tomatoes and the rest of the salt. Return to the heat and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for , until the juices have reduced and thickened.

    Add in this stepSweet paprika 1 tspSmoked paprika ½ tspRipe tomatoes 300 gSalt 0.4 tsp

    medium-low heat

  6. Beat the eggs with the sour cream using a fork. Turn the heat down to low heat and pour the eggs over the lecsó. Leave for 30 seconds, then fold gently with a spatula in big strokes for , until the eggs form soft, glossy curds that still look moist. Turn off the heat: they keep cooking in the pan.

    Add in this stepEggs 4Sour cream 2 tbsp

    low heat

  7. Toast the bread in a toaster or a dry griddle pan until golden and crisp, then rub the cut side of a halved garlic clove over the surface. Spoon the lecsó onto plates, scatter with the crispy bacon cracklings and parsley, and serve with the garlic toast.

    Add in this stepSourdough bread slices 2Garlic cloves 1Flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1½ tbsp

Cook's tip

Overcooked eggs turn dry, so take the pan off while they still look moist. Don't stir the peppers too often; a little colouring at the edges adds sweetness. Without smoked paprika, just use sweet paprika.

Cooking it at camp

Dice the bacon at home; at the campsite you can simply chop the tomatoes unpeeled. Cook everything in one cast-iron pan, from the bacon to the eggs, and toast the bread on the grill or in the pan before rubbing it with garlic. Turn the burner to its lowest setting before adding the eggs.