Those Saucy Spanish Sauces!

When I learned how to make Romesco sauce, a signature sauce in Spanish cooking, I knew I had hit culinary gold.

Given the consistency is more like thick mayonnaise, I regard it more as a topping than a sauce and that's why it lends itself so beautifully to seafood appetizers and first courses.

And in researching Romesco, I found that there are numerous varieties, but all have two things in common: the use of almonds and roasted peppers of some sort. I use red bell peppers, but I've seen pequillo peppers and other similar reds used. I've also made versions combining both almonds and hazelnuts, carefully toasting the nuts before adding them to my food processor.

And, with the essential oils of the nuts left in the pan, it makes for an interesting way to toast the French bread slice, torn into pieces, and then added to the food processor. I like using this sauce to show my cooking school students how bread can act as a thickener when making sauces.

With just a dash of cayenne, the background heat really makes for an interesting flavor profile. I've also experimented with this aspect of the sauce, adding and subtracting various forms of heat -- including piri piri, chipotle, jalapeño, Tabasco, etc. In the end, I've decided that cayenne works best.

I chose jumbo shrimp as the "vehicle" to show this sauce/topping. But I'm confident you'll enjoy it with vegetables -- raw, roasted, sautéed or steamed. Here's the video and recipe. Let me know what you think.





2 Tbsp slivered almonds
1 slice French or Italian bread, crust removed
1 large garlic clove, smashed
7 oz. roasted red peppers (jarred is okay)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
16 large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Stir almonds in a heavy skillet over medium heat until they begin to release their essential oils and start to brown. Be careful not to let them burn. When they are toasted, add them immediately to the bowl of a food processor.

In the same skillet, tear the bread slice into pieces and toast. When toasted, add it to the food processor with the almonds.

With the food processor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube and process until almonds, bread and garlic are finely chopped. Add the roasted red peppers, olive oil, sherry vinegar and cayenne pepper and process until the mixture is the consistency of thick mayonnaise, scraping down the sides to ensure that everything is incorporated.

Arrange cooked shrimp on plates and top with Romesco sauce.