Smoked paprika - Cascabel chiles

[skilletlicker]

I want to try Alton Brown's Chili Powder recipe. I have all the ingredients except for smoked paprika and cascabel chiles, neither of which I've been able to find in the local markets.
The only paprika I had was sweet hungarian and very old so will toss. Bought some "paprika" nothing about smoked on the label. I did find one bag labeled cascabel chiles in a store but they looked like guajillos. I had done a little research and expected to find a rounder chile that rattled when shaken so suspected the bag was mislabeled. The store people couldn't help because the Mexican section is handled by an outside company.
Here's three things I know I don't know:
1. Is smoked paprika the same as regular paprika as opposed to Hungarian or is it a third thing altogether?
2. Is a chile that looks exactly like a guajillo definitely not a cascabel?
3. I have guajillos and chipotles. Would either be an acceptable substitute? Would the chipotles help to compensate for the missing "smoked" on my paprika label?
The entire ingredients list for the recipe follows.
3 ancho chiles
3 cascabel chiles
3 dried arbol chiles
2 Tb cumin
2 Tb garlic powder
1 Tb dried oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
Thanks in advance for your experience and advise.

[Suzanne]

Quick reply to question #1: smoked paprika is entirely different. It is Spanish, sometimes called pimenton, and can be ordered online from sites such as The SpanishTable, La Tienda, and maybe Ethnic Grocer.

Question #2 needs more research.

Question #3: you probably could, but the flavor might end up smokier. If that's okay, go for it.

My feeling about recipes like this one is that they are just guidelines, and as long as you realize your result will not taste exactly the same, it's okay to make substitutions. (I would never, ever do that with baking, because the science is so much more precise.)

Hope this helps.

[PJmomrunner]

Penzey's is where I got my smoked paprika:

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...shpaprika.html

[Pete]

Personally, I find smoked paprika more subtle than chipotles, both heat wise and smoke wise. You should be able to find an online source for it. As for the cascabels. You are right they are round. In looks they almost look like a dried cherry pepper. They are a very mild chili with a nice earthy aroma and flavor. They are also quite different guajillos which are considerably hotter. Again, you can find them on the internet quite readily.

[Nentony]

You can also get cascabels at Penzeys, and they are round like cherries. Also I agree with Pete, smoked paprika is more subtle than chipotles.

Tony

[skilletlicker]

Thanks for the information and advise. I see many, but not all, of the online sources offer smoked paprika or pimenton in sweet, bittersweet or hot varieties.
1. Which one would you get?
2. If you get it from a supplier that doesn't offer the option, there is consistently no adjective to qualify. Which one are you most likely to get?
3. Are they pronounced Coss-KAW-bulls and pee-MEN-tone?
The reason I ask about the pronunciation is I'll probably try some of the shoppes in the high rent district before I fork over shipping cost and they look down on ya if ya caint talk good.

[Nentony]

Skilletlicket,(I love that handle) Pimenton is Paprika in spanish. I have in my spice drawer both smoked paprika and pimenton Ahumado(which is the same thing in spanish) I have them both because the smoked paprika that I order from penzeys is of very good quality, while the pimenton Ahumado packaged by the Badia company is cheap, available locally and great for things like rubs etc. Probably either would work for a chili powder, but if I had to get one I would get the smoked Hungarian paprika, the better quality one. I love Alton Brown. I use cascabel peppers in my chili but I reconstitute them in water with guajillo and ancho peppers , run them through the blender with a little of the water and use that as a start. Anyway, Hope that helps.

Tony