Halászlé for a dinner party — went down extremely well

I made Halászlé for eight guests who had varying familiarity with the cuisine. Every single person asked for the recipe. The creamy and savoury profile was the main talking point — no one had quite experienced sour cream used that way before.

Hungarian cuisine was shaped by nomadic Magyar traditions mixed with Ottoman and Habsburg influences. I explained the a Budapest csárda tavern context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. Tokaji wine was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.