Romesco and Griddled Greens
This rich and nutty sauce from Catalonia instantly brings a bit of Mediterranean magic to grilled, roast or steamed vegetables, boiled new potatoes or can be served as a dip for an appetiser
Cooking spring onions and asparagus in a hot ridged pan glams this up a bit, but the sauce is just as good with simple steamed broccoli.
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic skin on
- 50 g blanched hazelnuts
- 50 g blanched almonds
- 2 roasted red peppers jarred peppers are fine
- 1 heaped tsp sweet Spanish paprika
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 – 1 tsp salt
- 1 bunch of asparagus trimmed
- 2 x bunches spring onions roots trimmed, outer layer of skin removed.
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 180ºC .
- Place the tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and the nuts into a roasting tin and cook for about 8 -10 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and smell toasty. The tomatoes and garlic will be ready by now too .
- Now it’s just a question of blitzing everything together in a blender. Quarter the tomatoes, you don’t need to worry about removing skin or seeds ( I would however remove pepper skins and seeds if you have cooked these from scratch). Remove the garlic skins and cho Add the remaining ingredients, holding back on some of the salt and vinegar.
- Blend everything together until you are happy with the texture, rough or smooth, that’s up to you.
- Balance with salt and vinegar.
To chargrill your veg’
- Get the ridged pan really hot and place the trimmed veg’ ( no oil required), onto the surface and leave for a about 3 or 4 minutes before you roll the stalks or spears to cook the underside. You will see the asparagus turn a vivid shade of green once ready and the onions become soft and juicy.
- Serve at once with some flaked sea salt, a dash of extra virgin olive oil and the romesco sauce.
Notes
Your Romesco will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 4 days.