Romesco is a tomato-based sauce that originated from Tarragona, Catalonia. The fishermen made the sauce to be eaten with fish. It is like a pesto - typically made from any mixture of roasted tomatoes and garlic, toasted almonds, pine nuts, and/or hazelnuts, olive or sunflower oil, and nyora peppers.
Romesco sauce with eggplant and zucchini
Traditionally served with fish, this tomato and capsicum based sauce works wonderfully with chargrilled zucchini's and eggplant.
- 20 mins preparation
- 20 mins cooking
- Serves 4
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Ingredients
Romesco sauce
- 2 medium red capsicum (400g)
- 1 medium tomato (150g)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 cup (80g) blanched almonds, roasted
- 1/2 cup (70g) skinless roasted hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
Eggplant and zucchini
- olive oil spray
- 2 medium eggplant (900g), sliced on the diagonal
- 4 zucchini (480g), sliced thinly, lengthways
- 1/3 cup (55g) blanched almonds, roasted,chopped coarsely
- 1/3 cup (45g) skinless roasted hazelnuts, chopped coarsely
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn
Method
Romesco sauce with eggplant and zucchini
- 1Make romesco sauce. Roast capsicums and tomato directly over a gas flame on stove-top, turning until charred (or roast in a hot heavy-based frying pan or grill pan, turning, until charred). Wrap individually in foil. Peel away skins. Chop capsicum and tomato; keep separated.
- 2Heat half the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat; cook chopped capsicum and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until capsicum is soft.
- 3Add chopped tomato and paprika; cook for 3 minutes or until tomato softens. Process nuts until finely chopped; add capsicum mixture, sherry and the water and blend until smooth. Season to taste.
- 4Preheat a grill pan to high. Spray vegetables with olive oil; season with salt. Cook vegetables, in batches, for 4 minutes each side until tender and lightly charred.
- 5Layer vegetables on a platter; top with nuts and parsley. Serve with romesco sauce.
Notes
Romesco is a traditional northern Spanish sauce, much like pesto in texture, made from a mixture of nuts and fire-roasted capsicum that often accompanies seafood or a local roasted Catalonian spring onion.
