At the end of summer, there is a special tradition in many Hungarian homes: we make lecsó and put it away for the winter.
Lecsó is one of the simplest and most beloved dishes of Hungarian cuisine. Made mainly from sweet Hungarian peppers, tomatoes and onions, it is a true taste of late summer, when these vegetables are at their best. Hungarians often prepare a large batch at the end of the season and preserve it so that the flavours of summer can return to the kitchen during the colder months.
For me, lecsó is much more than a traditional Hungarian food. It is a family tradition.
I learned to make it from my mother and my grandmother, just as they learned it from the generation before them. Every family has its own way of making lecsó – and probably its own opinion about what makes the perfect one!
During the winter, I use my own homemade lecsó as a base for the pörkölt I serve at our Budapest home restaurant. And there is a very good reason for this. The flavour of a summer tomato and a freshly picked Hungarian pepper is completely different from vegetables available in winter. When that summer flavour goes into a slow-cooked pörkölt in January, it brings back something of the warmth and sunshine of August.
This is one of the things I love about traditional Hungarian cooking: it is not only about recipes. It is about seasons, families, memories and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
Hungarian gastronomy is an important part of Hungarian culture. Many traditional dishes – from goulash and pörkölt to stuffed cabbage, chicken paprikash and lecsó – are closely connected to everyday family life and to the stories people tell around the dinner table. Hungarian food is often simple at its roots, but full of character, paprika, slow cooking and strong family traditions.
And this is exactly what we love sharing with our guests at Hungry for Hungary.
Our private Budapest home restaurant is not simply about tasting Hungarian food. Over a four-course dinner, we also talk about Hungarian culture, history and everyday life – the things that help visitors understand what Hungary is really like.
So when you visit Budapest, don’t just look for famous Hungarian dishes. Ask a Hungarian about the food they grew up with. You may discover that behind a simple dish like lecsó there is a whole family story.
And perhaps, years later, you will remember Budapest not only for its beautiful buildings, but also for the taste of a Hungarian summer.
Looking for an authentic Hungarian food experience in Budapest? Join us at Hungry for Hungary for a private home-cooked dinner and a conversation about Hungarian food, culture and everyday life.