Sauces
Spanish
SpanishRomesco Sauce
A smoky Catalan red pepper and almond sauce for grilled veg, fish and meat, where Basic blitzes jarred peppers with almonds, Better roasts fresh peppers and toasts the nuts, and Ultimate uses dried ñora chillies, charred tomatoes and fried bread.
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten-free
Dairy-free
Ultimate version
The authentic version with rehydrated ñora chillies, charred tomatoes and fried bread for body.
Per serving£1.80
Total cost£7.20
Time55 min
Ingredients for 4
- 2 dried ñora chillies , deseeded
- 3 red peppers
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic , skin on
- 50 g blanched almonds
- 30 g blanched hazelnuts
- 1 slice rustic white bread , crusts removed
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
- flaky sea salt , to taste
Method
- Soak the deseeded ñora chillies in hot water for 20 minutes, then scrape the soft flesh from the skins and reserve.
- Roast the red peppers, tomatoes and garlic cloves at 220C for 30-35 minutes until charred, then steam, peel the peppers and squeeze the garlic from its skins.
- Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a little of the olive oil until golden, lift out, then fry the bread in the same oil until crisp.
- Blend the nuts and fried bread to a coarse paste, then add the ñora flesh, roasted peppers, tomatoes, garlic and sherry vinegar.
- Blend to a rustic, textured sauce, then slowly stream in the remaining olive oil to emulsify.
- Season with flaky salt, then rest for 30 minutes to develop the flavour before serving with grilled vegetables, fish or lamb.
Equipment
- oven
- frying pan
- food processor
The three ways, side by side
Budget
A fast blender sauce using jarred roasted peppers and ground almonds.
Better
Fresh peppers roasted until blistered, with whole almonds toasted for nuttiness.
Ultimate
The authentic version with rehydrated ñora chillies, charred tomatoes and fried bread for body.