Romesco Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes (without added basil)
- 3 fresh tomatoes, quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 red onion, peeled & quartered
- 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
- ½ bunch scallion whites & light greens, cut into 1” pieces
- ¼ cup hot crushed peppers (not chili flakes or red pepper flakes)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper for seasoning
- 1 cup almonds (Chef Pooler uses Marcona almonds)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup basil leaves, lightly-packed
Special Equipment
- food processor
- oven-proof pan
How-to
Toast Almonds
- Preheat oven to 300º
- Spread almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes. Set aside
Roast Vegetables
- Increase oven temperature to 350º
- In an oven-proof pan, add tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onion, jalapeño, scallions and hot crushed peppers and stir to combine all ingredients
- Add olive oil, salt and pepper and roast, uncovered, until vegetables start to brown and liquid evaporates, about 1½ hours but stir in almonds and herbs 5 minutes before the end of cooking time, to allow to cook with the vegetables for the remaining few minutes
Blend & Serve
- Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor
- Process to a rough paste, leaving some coarseness for texture
- Use as a sauce with meat, fish, or serve as a spread with bread or crackers