Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Romesco Sauce


I hopped on the bandwagon and made myself some Romesco sauce a couple weeks ago, and boy was I glad I did! This Catalonian sauce combines roasted red peppers with almonds; add a serious smoky kick and you've got an incredibly versatile condiment. I served it with grilled salmon, spring onions, and broccoli, but the leftovers went on sandwiches, in salads (thinned out a bit with yogurt) and even just scooped up with crackers.


Romesco Sauce

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup whole almonds (all I had were pre-roasted spiced almonds - worked fine)
1 slice bread, cubed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ancho chile powder
2 large bell peppers
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/4 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Broil peppers (or grill or char over a gas stove), turning frequently until blackened on all sides. Don't worry too much about overcooking as long as you don't set them on fire. Place peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with saran wrap; allow to steam for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds and bread and sauté until toasted, about 3 minutes - be careful not to burn almonds. Transfer to processor with a slotted spoon. Add onions and garlic to skillet and cook for another 3 minutes. Add paprika and chile powder; cook for about another minute then add to the food processor.

Peel peppers, remove innards, and cut into smaller pieces then add to food processor. Add vinegar and salt. Puree until smooth. Taste and add salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired.

Serve with grilled vegetables, fish, chicken, or as a condiment for sandwiches. Thin out with some Greek yogurt for a salad dressing.

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