Romesco con Esparragos - Asparagus with Red Pepper Sauce

 

    Welcome to this month's Eat the World recipe challenge where we are traveling via frying pan, or in my case mostly blender, to the beautiful country of Spain. I fell in love with Spanish food in Dallas, the same weekend I fell in love with the opera. I was in town for a girl's weekend with plans to attend the opera, and of course, dinner had to be part of the weekend. We ended up going to Cafe Madrid, and it was love at first bite. I knew I had to bring the flavors home and enjoy them regularly. It started with a few dishes here and there, and then a buffet at my house, and then it made its way more regularly into our dinner options. 

     No party is complete without a little over the top. and I just HAD to have the entire left of Jamon Serrano for my dinners. It was a statement piece and it was delicious. Other dishes were Marcona almonds, Spanish cheeses, and Iberico chorizo. then we had tortilla de patata, pinchinos, gazpacho, Torta de Santiago, olives, espinicas con garbanzo, a tomatoe salad, and jamon and manchego roast cauliflower. Also, and this MAYBE isn't very authentic, but I made a paella spiced butterboard. 

     Another favorite that didn't make it to that menu, but is well-loved in my house, is romesco sauce. It is savory and refreshing with a great tang from the Sherry vinegar and is beautiful with asparagus. Or steak; we had extra sauce and the wonderful flank steak my husband cooked got covered in it as well. 

     One thing to note about my recipe, typically romoesco has breadcrumbs in it but I have to avoid those so I left them out. To compensate for that I also reduced the olive oil some since there wasn't as much to absorb it. 

Check out all the wonderful Spanish dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Orange Salad with Spanish Pork 
• Culinary Cam: Arroz con Langostinos y Carabineros 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Churro Pancakes
• Kitchen Frau: Spanish Potato Tortilla (Tortilla de Patatas) 
•  Palatable Pastime: Spanish Stuffed Eggs with Shrimp

Romesco Sauce Recipe

2 Tomatoes

1 head garlic

2 Red bell peppers

2-4 small nora peppers (I used wiri wiri)

2 Tbsp. Sherry Vinegar

1/4 c. hazelnuts

2 Tbsp pine nuts

1/4 c. Olive oil plus extra to drizzle

Salt to taste

Broiled asparagus

Cover the wiri wiri peppers with olive oil and leave for an hour or overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 400* and cut an X in the bottom of the tomatoes. Slice the top of the head of garlic and drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and remove the stem and skins from the tomatoes and squeeze the garlic out of the paper. Place in a blender. 

Toast the hazelnuts and place in the blender and then add the pine nuts and toast before adding those to the blender as well. 

On the stove, char the red bell peppers on all sides and place in a bag to steam. Leave for 5-10 minutes and then run under water to remove the blackened skin. Remove the stem and seeds and place in the blender.

Remove the Seeds from the dried peppers and add to the blender with everything else listed. Blend on high until really smooth. taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed. 

Serve with cooked asparagus.  

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Check out previous Eat the World Contributions from Europe 

• Austria - Kaiserschmarrn
• Wales - Welsh Onion Cake
• Slovakia - Maso v Chrenovej Omacke
• Greece - Artichoke Stew
• Luxembourg - Bouneschlupp Green Bean Soup
• Hungary - Rakott Krumpli
• Netherlands - Mosterdsoep
• Bulgaria - Sausage Stew
• Portugal - Tremocos Beans
• Ukraine - Pickled Tomatoes 
• Finland - Vispipuuro
• England - Lancashire Hotpot
• Poland - Zupa Orgorkowa
• France - Choucroute Garnie
• Sweden - Farskpotatis