I’ve taken to doing a lot of “clean eating,” which, to me, just means trying to eat foods that are seasonal and have as little processing as possible. I do know I feel good when I eat “clean foods” and they are also the easiest foods to cook, because they require very little work. I feel like I have more energy on days when I eat this way. The more I make dishes like these the more I love cooking at home, and the more I eat like this the less appealing restaurants seem to me.
Romesco is a classic Spanish sauce that originated in Tarragona, Catalonia. Fishermen are said to have invented the sauce to go with fish. However, this sauce really goes with everything. It’s usually made with nuts, roasted peppers, vinegar and oil, and is a delicious springtime salsa.
Chef Deborah Madison’s recipe from Vegetable Literacy was the inspiration for mine. Madison is a master of gardens and kitchens who produced a beautiful book with wonderful seasonal recipes where I first learned to cook a version of this sauce.
Recipe:
2 large roasted red bell peppers
2 roasted garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
2 roasted roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons parsley leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon New Mexican chile (purchased at Forward Foods)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Roast red peppers and garlic in the oven, let cool and remove seeds and skins, then toss in a food processor or blender with the almonds, tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, paprika, New Mexican chile and cayenne pepper. Once initially blended, slowly add about ½ cup of olive oil until you get to your desired consistency. Romesco sauce will keep for about a week in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge.
Additional romesco sauce application: white beans and kale; boiled potatoes; fish (of course), like grilled sardines, salmons, mackerel, shrimp; tossed with whole wheat pasta; over grilled chicken; and more.
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This recipe originally appeared in Issue 8 of Munch Magazine.
