Catalan Gardener

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe

This sauce is served throughout Spain.  In Catalunya particularly, it is a staple side for grilled meat, fish and vegetables such as the traditional 'calcot'.

This is a traditional Spanish sauce widely eaten in the region of Catalunya.  There they enjoy it with grilled scallions (calcots), grilled asparagus, meat and fish.  This is a simple recipe for you to make your own chili piquant sauce at home, which will be much healthier and cheaper than any store bought variety.

Ingredients

• 4 dried chilis (3 mild and 1 hot variety).
• 25g almonds
• 150ml olive oil
• 1 slice stale bread (crusts removed).
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 3 tomatoes (roughly chopped)
• 120ml wine vinegar (red or white)
• salt & ground black pepper

Cut the chili's and remove the seeds, then soak for half an hour in a bowl of warm water so they can rehydrate.  While the chili's are soaking, dry fry the almonds until golden.  Next fry the garlic and slice of bread, until golden, in a tablespoon of olive oil.

Put the garlic, bread, chili's and tomatoes into a blender or food processor and blend till smooth.  Continue mixing as you slowly add the oil, followed by the vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper.  Cover the sauce and store in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the flavours to infuse.

Serve warmed through, cold or at room temperature depending on what you'll be eating with the sauce.  To serve alongside grilled meat or fish the sauce is very good, thinned down a little with some more oil and heated gently until just simmering.  With grilled vegetables such as calcots the sauce should really be at room temperature.

If you do not have a food processor the sauce can be blended by hand in a pestle and mortar (making sure to start with the nuts and garlic as these will be the toughest.  You can serve the sauce blended till very smooth or leave some nutty texture in it, as you like.  Although not authentic some oregano or lemon thyme is an enjoyable addition to the romesco sauce.

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