serves
8
prep
20 minutes
cook
2:30 hours
difficulty
Mid
serves
8
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
2:30
hours
difficulty
Mid
level
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Sauce
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G
Watch The Full Episode Here
G
Ingredients
Sofrito
- 125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 2 white onions, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- sea salt, to taste
- 4 large red capsicums, seeded, membranes removed, finely diced
- 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
Romesco sauce
- 400 g red capsicums (about 3), membrane and seeds removed
- 100 g Roma tomatoes
- 360 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 150 g blanched almonds
- 150 g roasted peeled hazelnuts
- 55 g sourdough, crust removed, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 20 g garlic cloves
- 100 g cabernet sauvignon vinegar
- 30 g table salt
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
To serve
- 1 eggplant, sliced lengthways and chargrilled
- chargrilled sourdough
Instructions
- For the sofrito heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the onion is soft.
- Add the capsicum and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until well softened. Add the tomato and cook for 1–1½ hours, stirring regularly or until it reaches a jam-like consistency. Be careful that it does not stick to the pan. This can be made 2–3 days ahead of time.
- For the romesco sauce, preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue. Lightly oil the capsicum and cook, turning occasionally until blackened and blistered all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a lid and stand for 20 minutes to steam. Repeat the process with the tomatoes. Peel the capsicum and tomatoes and set aside.
- Heat 100 ml olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the almonds and stir over low heat until golden brown. Remove the nuts from the oil, drain on paper towel and repeat the process with the hazelnuts.
- Using the oil from the nuts, toast the sourdough over low heat until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
- Place all the ingredients for the romesco in a blender or food processor. Add the sofrito and blend until smooth. Depending on what this recipe is intended for, you may need to incorporate some boiling water to thin out.
- Serve with chargrilled eggplant and sourdough.
Photography by Kitti Gould.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Stream free On Demand
Sauce
