The sauce that brings together tastes of summer
Romesco is a flavorful sauce of roasted red peppers, almonds, tomatoes and garlic that hails from the coast of Spain. It has a savory richness without being heavy, and it's an ideal and healthful accompaniment for just about anything you might be grilling, including seafood, vegetables, poultry and meats.
Most romesco recipes I have seen require turning on the oven for roasting the peppers, and in some cases the tomatoes and garlic. But I am loath to do that in the summer, so I thought a tasty, and certainly cooler, way to go would be to cook those ingredients on the grill instead. As a result, this recipe has an added layer of fire-kissed flavor that adds to its appeal.
Chunks of red bell pepper and sliced onion are brushed with oil and go straight onto the grill, where they soften and char. The peppers are then sweated in a bag, and their skins are removed. The tomatoes and garlic are drizzled with oil, then wrapped in an aluminum foil pouch that's placed on the grill. After about 12 minutes, they are transformed: the garlic softens, with a more deeply mellow flavor, and the tomatoes collapse, their juices released. All that grilled goodness is blended until smooth with toasted almonds, Spanish smoked paprika, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil.
The accompanying recipe makes twice as much sauce as you'll need. It will keep in the refrigerator for about five days. Warmed or at room temperature, it cannot only accompany whatever you are grilling but also can be used on sandwiches or as a dip for crudités; tossed with pasta; or spread on toasts with some cheese — Manchego, for example.
To serve, spoon the sauce onto a plate, top with grilled zucchini and chicken breast, and garnish with a fresh, green sprinkle of parsley. This is one very tasty example of how this versatile sauce can transform a simple meal.
• Watch “Ellie's Real Good Food” on WHUT Saturdays at 4 p.m. Krieger blogs and offers a weekly newsletter at www.elliekrieger.com.