Most websites and American cookbooks tell you that romesco sauce is a classic use for roasted red peppers. When I first thickened a roasted pepper sauce with almonds, I fell into the same trap of calling it romesco. But the true Spanish sauce, which I enjoyed in Barcelona, leans heavily on roasted tomatoes, with dried smoked peppers merely boosting the sweet, charred flavor.
In my memory of romesco, the peppers and nuts stood out and made it distinctly different from any other roasted tomato sauce. So I use it as my inspiration for a mild, smoky, nutty sauce made with Grilled Sweet Peppers.
I usually grill about 1 pound of red bell peppers for this sauce, but since we’re breaking with traditions here, you can change it up. Try green bell, poblano and Anaheim peppers for a green version with a dash more heat or yellow bells and pale gypsy peppers for a mellow yellow one. Peeled hazelnuts, as well as almonds, are traditional in romesco, but only almonds are the fixtures in my freezer. Whichever you use, toast them if you’d like a nuttier taste.
I left tomatoes out of this recipe to highlight the flavors of the grilled peppers and nuts, but roasted ones taste delicious in the mix. If you like, halve and grill one or two tomatoes along with the peppers. When grilled until nearly soft, tomato skins slip off easily, although a food processor breaks them down enough that I usually retain skins and seeds. With tomatoes’ added juiciness, stale bread is traditionally ground into the sauce to thicken it. For a gluten-free substitute, try cooked chickpeas.
Romesco sauce should be mild, so I blend just a little home-smoked chili into this recipe for the extra smokiness. Give the sauce a touch of spiciness with half of a smoked cascabel or poblano (called ancho when dried), or heat it up with a wedge of smoked jalapeno (also known as chipotle).
Romesco-Inspired Grilled Pepper and Almond Sauce
Makes about 1-1/2 cups
1/4 cup whole unsalted almonds
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 Home-Smoked Chili Pepper or pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1-1/4 cups grilled and chopped red bell peppers
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Freshly squeezed lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil to taste
In a food processor, pulse the almonds until coarsely ground. Add the rosemary, oregano, sugar, salt and chili and process until finely ground. Add the grilled bell peppers, garlic and vinegar and process until the sauce is smooth but thick.
Pour the sauce into a small bowl and stir in lemon juice and olive oil by hand as needed to thin the sauce to your desired thickness and taste. To meld the flavors, let the sauce sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; return it to room temperature and stir before serving.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger at TwiceAsTasty.com.