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Romanesco with Romesco Sauce

Prep Time:  15 Minutes

     Cook Time:  20 Minutes

     Serves:  4

You won’t be sorry to have leftovers; this dish is amazing with grilled vegetables, chicken, steak, fish, eggs, you name it.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head romanesco, leaves trimmed
  • 2 dried guajillo or ancho chilies
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper (preferably an Italian fryer type), cut in half, de-seeded, stem removed
  • 3 medium Roma tomatoes
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half through middle of cloves
  • Olive or local sunflower oil for brushing
  • 1/3 cup hazelnuts or sliced almonds, toasted
  • 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 or 2 slices French bread, crusts removed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive or local sunflower oil
  • 3 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley

Directions

  1. Get a grill going and prep vegetables while grill heats. Put the garlic head halves on a double square of tinfoil, drizzle with oil, wrap up tight, and place on the grill away from direct flame.
  2. Grill the dried chilies briefly on both sides, then transfer to a small heat-proof pan with lid, cover with hot water and replace lid. Let sit 10 minutes, drain. De-stem and de-seed chilies if you don’t want the Romanesco too spicy. Coarsely chop and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, bring an inch of water to boil in a pan big enough to hold the Romanesco upright with a lid. Score a 1⁄2-inch-deep X into the bottom of the Romanesco stem and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.
  4. While the Romanesco is steaming, rub red pepper halves and Roma tomatoes with oil and grill until charred, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  5. Grill bread until toasted.
  6. Remove garlic packet from grill, open up, cool a bit and squeeze out garlic cloves. Run red peppers under water and remove charred skin from peppers and tomatoes.
  7. In a food processor, combine nuts, toasted bread, chopped chilies and garlic. Pulse a few times, then add tomatoes, red pepper, vinegar, salt and pepper. Puree until mostly smooth. Scrape down sides and drizzle oil into food processor while pureeing one last time.
  8. Cut Romanesco into quarters lengthwise through the X. Serve on a bed of romesco sauce, sprinkled with parsley.

Notes

Suggestions For local guajillos, contact Harmony Valley Farm.