Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is a rich and dense almond and roasted red pepper based sauce, which originated in the Catalan region of Spain. It is considered one of the main condiments at Spanish restaurants and is typically paired with traditional Catalonian foods, including fish, roasted meats, and vegetables. It also makes for an amazing appetizer topped on crusty, grilled bread crostini with goat cheese and/or grilled vegetables.

This sauce will take center stage at your holiday party and be a major hit. I can’t get enough of it this season, as it’s the perfect bit of spice and light heat during these cold winter months. Try it on sandwiches or as a twist on salad dressing. Mix in a few tablespoons of sauce into ranch or Caesar salad dressing for a Spanish twist.

Romesco Sauce

Ingredients:

·      1 loaf of artisan bread; Italian, French or sourdough, reserving 3" of the heel on one side. Slice the remaining loaf into thin 1/4" slices for grilling (Skip this step to make the recipe vegan and gluten free)

·      1/4 cup olive oil

·      2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded*

·      2 fresh poblano chili peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded*

·      1 jalapeño pepper, roasted, seeded*

·      4 whole cloves garlic, roasted*

·      1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted

·      3 tomatoes (on the vine or plum), roasted, peeled and seeded (or 3 canned whole plum tomatoes, drained)*

·      2 teaspoons red wine or red wine vinegar

·      1/2 teaspoon sea salt

·      1/4 teaspoon cayenne

·      1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. *Place all of the whole peppers, chilies, garlic and tomatoes on the cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbs. of olive oil. Turn to coat the outside of the pepper skins on all sides; bake, turning occasionally, until all sides are blistered and slightly blackened, about 30 minutes. 

2. Place the roasted peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to cool, approx. 15 minutes as the steaming period will help loosen the skins for easy removal. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the stems, skins, seeds and membranes. Wear kitchen gloves for this step, as the membrane and seeds are where most of the pepper's heat is stored.

3. In a food processor, pulse all of the prepped bell and chili peppers, along with the garlic, nuts, and bread heel. Pulse until combined, but still chunky.

4. Add the tomatoes, pulsing until combined. Drizzle the remaining oil and red wine through the top of the processor while running to emulsify the mixture. Add the salt, cayenne, and smoked paprika. At this point the sauce should be thick, but still easily pliable for spreading. If it seems on the thick side, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin. Taste for salt, heat and acid consistency and season accordingly. If you have extra sauce or are making sauce before your planned use, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The Romesco sauce actually tastes better after sitting for a day, so this step is also a great option for party prepping.