Salsa Romesco (Red Pepper, Garlic, and Nut Sauce)
A well-stocked pantry is among a cook’s best allies, and mine always contains a jar or two of roasted red peppers. With the peppers and a few staples and seasonings, I can quickly whip up a dip or sauce to shine a little light on almost any winter meal. Salsa Romesco, originally from the Catalan region of Spain, is an enticing all-purpose sauce I use to dress up a variety of simply prepared meats, fish, and vegetables -- even scrambled or fried eggs. Try the sauce on sauteed, broiled, or grilled fish, shrimp, chicken, pork, or beef; roasted or grilled eggplant or zucchini; or roasted or baked potatoes. During tomato season, I replace the canned tomatoes with 1 medium-large tomato, cored, seeded, and grated on a box grater to make about 1 cup of pulp.
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice of baguette (about 1½ inches thick), cut into chunks, or ¼ cup fresh or dried bread crumbs
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
¼ cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted
¼ cup <a href="/recipes/node/700">hazelnuts, lightly toasted and skinned</a> (rub them in a kitchen towel after toasting)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1½ tablespoons paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, or more
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt
In a small skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil until it shimmers. Add the bread chunks or crumbs, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 2 minutes (turn the bread chunks over halfway through cooking). Use a spatula to scrape the bread chunks or crumbs and oil into the bowl of a food processor.
To the food processor add the roasted red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, hazelnuts, garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, vinegar, parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt, and puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle the remaining oil through the feed tube until it is all incorporated (the consistency should be like that of jarred applesauce; if it is too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons of hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process).
Scrape the salsa into a bowl and allow it to rest at room temperature to meld the flavors, at least 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with vinegar and salt, if necessary, and serve. (The salsa will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for about a week.)