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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.

Suggestions

For local guajillos, contact Harmony Valley Farm.

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