Ellen Kanner

soulful vegan writer

  • About
  • CONSULTATION
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • RESOURCES
  • RECIPES
  • Video
  • Shop
  • Appearances
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • $0.00
You are here: Home / LIGHT MEALS / Summer Love — Romance Your Vegetables With Romesco

Summer Love — Romance Your Vegetables With Romesco

August 22, 2022 by Ellen Kanner Leave a Comment

 Join me 6pm ET this Thursday for my free, virtual Tapas Table cooking class, hosted by Miami-Dade Public Library’s Pinecrest Branch. Register here.

Summer means grilling season, and if you love grilled vegetables — I do —  Romesco sauce is the accessory you need. As a dip, dab, or dollop, this Catalan sauce coaxes out the natural luster of any vegetable. Romesco has a rosy terracotta hue, but it’s more than just pretty on a plate. It’s all the bold flavors of Spain — tomatoes, garlic, peppers, olive oil, and almonds — together in one creamy (but creamless) sauce. It’s what summer tastes like to me.

Summer in Spain means calcot harvest. Calcots, related to scallions and spring onions, have been grown in Catalonia since the 1800s. They’re long, slender, and bright green.  Freshly harvested, they have an oniony bite but a natural sweetness, too. They’re typically served grilled with a bowl of Romesco, so you can dredge your calcots with sauce to your heart’s content. This is a summer tradition that invites abandon (and maybe pitchers of sangria, too). Best not to wear your favorite shirt, lest there be splatters.

Make Romesco, and let the flavors of Spain come to you. Try it with: 

  • grilled or roasted summer produce like eggplant and zucchini, and peppers
  • year’ round favorites like grilled mushrooms, carrots onions, broccoli and cauliflower 
  • fresh raw ripe tomatoes, crisp celery,  crunchy radishes  
  • I haven’t tried slathering it on corn, but what could be bad?
  • It’s a winner slathered on crusty bread
  • it’s a meant-to-be topping for roasted potatoes
  • On warm beans like plump, creamy limas? Yassss.
  • In fact, I think I’ve just created the perfect sandwich — toasted grainy bread, layers of roasted vegetables, topped with thinly sliced radishes and tomato, maybe a few beans, mashed, and a blanket of Romesco. Not tidy, but terrific.
  • And yeah, a pitcher of chilled sangria would make a mighty fine accompaniment.
Jump to the recipe or stick around for Romesco revelry

How to make Romesco sauce:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour nuts onto a small rimmed baking sheet and toast until they darken slightly and smell buttery, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, set chile in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. When cool, drain pepper. Remove and discard seeds and stem.
  3. Drop bread, garlic, chile and almonds into a food processor or blender. Process for a minute or so, until a thick paste forms, scraping the sides. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, paprika and olive oil and pulse.
  4. The sauce should be of a hummus-like consistency, thick but not gluey. Add a tablespoon or two of water if it seems too dry. Add sea salt to taste.
Romesco sauce on a spoon.

Romesco Tips: 

  • A food processor or high-speed blender makes quick work of this.
  • A teensy splash of sherry vinegar gives Romesco just the right sparkle of acidity.
  • Tomato adds umami.
  • The chile and garlic are mild, adding a deep, almost smoky note.  
  • If you love smokiness, substitute the sweet paprika for smoked paprika.
  • Use extra virgin olive oil for best results.
  • Romesco’s not just about indulgence. The addition of stale bread gives Romesco oomph and body, and is a delicious way to make use of what you have and reduce waste.
  • Traditionally, Romesco is made with roasted hazelnuts. Use ‘em if you’ve got ‘em. I substitute roasted blanched almonds.  
    1. they’re cheaper
    2. they’re more accessible
    3. you don’t have to mess with removing hazelnuts’ papery skins — such a nuisance.  
  • But okay, for optimal Romesco, you should blanch the almonds before toasting, both for looks and flavor. Cheer up, peeling the nuts’ dark, slightly tannic skin is fun, fast, and easy to do, once you know the trick.
  • To blanch almonds:
    1. Pour almonds into a small heatproof bowl.
    2. Cover with boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. Drain. 
    3. Pinch almonds between your fingers. Skins will slip off off, leaving you perfect, pale bare nut kernels.
  • Allow Romesco to chill, covered, in the refrigerator for a few hours, to let the flavors blend. 
  • Best served at room temperature.
  • My best tip for you is this — join me 6pm ET this Thursday for my free, virtual Tapas Table cooking class, hosted by Miami-Dade Public Library’s Pinecrest Branch. We’ll keep the Spanish flavors going. Register here.

Romesco Sauce

This Romesco, made in a food processor or a high-speed blender, aims to deliver maximum flavor with minimal time and uses easy-to-get ingredients. It may be made several days ahead and refrigerated. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • ⅔ cup blanched whole almonds
  • 1 mild dried chile such as an ancho
  • 1 slice baguette torn into pieces
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1-2 ripe plum tomatoes or 2/3 cup canned fire-roasted tomatoes drained
  • 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • Sea salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour nuts onto a small rimmed baking sheet and toast until they darken slightly and smell buttery, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, set chile in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. When cool, drain pepper. Remove and discard seeds and stem.
  • Drop bread, garlic, chile and almonds into a food processor or blender. Process for a minute or so, until a thick paste forms, scraping the sides. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, paprika and olive oil and pulse.
  • The sauce should be of a hummus-like consistency, thick but not gluey. Add a tablespoon or two of water if it seems too dry. Add sea salt to taste.

More bold flavors of Spain

  • Cool, creamy ajo blanco 
  • Rich, umami chickpeas with saffron
  • Turn leftover rice into rice pudding
  • Broke Bank Vegan‘s tortilla espanola, made with chickpea flour, no eggs
  • Brilliant chef and big-hearted humanitarian José Andrés offers stylish skewers of watermelon and tomatoes, what a cool (and cooliing!) idea!
  • Garlic and chocolate? Believe it, especially when it comes from Latinx chef and food historian, Marisel Presilla.

dividerEK


dividerEKThank you for reading my vegan stories and plant-based recipes. I sincerely love to connect with listeners and would like to hear your feedback, takeaways, “ah-ha!” moments, etc in the comments.

Connect with me for discounts, exclusive tips, and other freebies:
• Join my NEWSLETTER for exclusive content & offers
• Join my social networks on LINKEDIN, TWITTER and FACEBOOK

Want to learn more?
Explore more of my VEGAN RECIPES, and my COOK BOOKS.
Do you want a happier life, a greener plate, and a delicious world? Then sign up for VEG THERAPY.



Filed Under: Appetizers, LIGHT MEALS

« Brave, Bold and Beany — Fabada Bravas
Board meeting! {Meatless} Charcuterie Boards »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Ellen Kanner ELLEN KANNER is a soulful vegan writer on food, wellness and sustainability with over 15 years' experience. She's a recipe developer for numerous publications...[Read More] .

~ Work With Ellen ~

She is available for speaking engagements, consultations, and cooking demonstrations. To book a paid speaking gig, contact her.

~ available Cookbooks ~

Ellen Kanner

buynow

Ellen Kanner

buynow

Upcoming Events

Mar
28
Tue
2:30 pm Conscious, Sustainable, Delectab... @ F&B@Sea
Conscious, Sustainable, Delectab... @ F&B@Sea
Mar 28 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Join me for a live cooking demonstration at F&B@Sea. Get more information here.
View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

Recent Publications

Edible South Florida Winter 2023

What Is British Cheese Rolling? | The Cheese Professor

Around the World in Cornmeal Mush | Whetstone Magazine

Adaptogens and Healthful Botanicals Trend in Cocktails | The Alcohol Professor

Discovering A Brave New World of Vegan Chocolates

Is Olive Oil Good For Us? | Huffpost

VegNews Jan 2022

Edible South Florida Winter Issue

Edible South Florida Fall 2021

VegNews Holiday 2021

Thanksgiving Without Turkey? A Valid Argument For Skipping The Bird.

Why This Latin American Chef Rejects The Term ‘Latinx’

The Diva of Daufuskie

SoFloVegans Podcast

Is Wine Vegan?

The Best Artisanal Cheese and Why We Love Them

Food Rescue U.S.: ‘Hunger Doesn’t Take A Holiday’

Art Friedrich: Food Insecurity Is A ‘Weakness That Will Be Exploited By Adversaries’

Broccoli Rising|October 2020 – Breathe, Nourish, Rise

What is Vegan Cheese and is it Legit?

The Germans Have a Word for That Snack

From Cucina Povera to Conscious Cookery: Timeless Garden-to-Kitchen and Back Again Smarts

Thinking Outside and Inside the Box: Growing Greens in Miami

Diet for a Large Pandemic

Currently Featured On

Brahma Kumaris Miami interview with Meredith Porte

Vegan Cinco de Mayo: Vegan Date-Sweetened Chocolate Love Bites & Mango Black Bean Salad

Vedge Your Best – The Plant-Based Podcast – Michele Olender

Professional Associations

~Contributing Columnist ~

Ellen Kanner
Ellen Kanner

~ Search Site ~

RSS Newsletter

  • March 2023 March 1, 2023
  • February 2023 February 1, 2023
  • A Little Ask and a Little Delight January 17, 2023
  • January 2023 December 29, 2022
  • December 2022 December 1, 2022

~ Signup for my Newsletter~

~ Follow me on Twitter ~

© 2023 ELLEN KANNER - site by Kapok Graphics