Calçots with Romesco Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pcRound tomato (whole)
- 1 pcGarlic (whole head)
- 50 gAlmond with skin (toasted)
- 50 gHazelnut (toasted)
- 1 pcCountry bread (toasted slice)
- 200 mlExtra virgin olive oil
- 50 mlRed wine vinegar
- 1 pinchGray sea salt
- 1 pinchBlack pepper ground
- 40 pcCalçots (cleaned, roots slightly trimmed)
- 2 pcÑora Pepper (rehydrated in hot water and pulp scraped)
Method
Long onions charred on the outside, revealing a melting, sweet, and smoky heart. The thick sauce, rich in nuts and olive oil, provides texture and depth.
- 1
Place tomatoes and the whole garlic head on a tray. Roast at 200°C until tomato skins burst and garlic is soft to the core.
- 2
In a dry pan, toast almonds and hazelnuts until fragrant. Rub the bread slice with oil and toast it until golden.
- 3
Peel tomatoes and squeeze roasted garlic cloves for pulp. Blend with nuts, bread, vinegar, and rehydrated pepper. Slowly drizzle oil to emulsify until the sauce coats a spoon.
- 4
Arrange calçots on a rack over an open flame. Let the outer skin turn black and charred. The roots should be burnt.
- 5
Immediately wrap the hot calçots in newspaper. Let them rest. The residual heat finishes the cooking, making the heart translucent and tender.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get this dish right?
- Don't over-clean the calçots before cooking; the soil protects the heart while the outside chars.
- To eat, pinch the root end and pull the leaves firmly to slide the tender heart out of its burnt skin.
- The sauce should be thick; feel free to adjust the amount of bread to reach the right consistency.
How long does this dish keep?
Romesco sauce keeps for 5 days in the fridge in a sealed jar. Calçots must be eaten immediately after cooking.
