Romesco sauce with chargrilled eggplant

A glut of romesco sauce is always a good problem to have, so if you're not in need of 8 servings, the leftovers can be spread on a sandwich, served with poached eggs or roast meat and stirred through pasta.

Romesco sauce with chargrilled eggplant Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  2:30 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

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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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Using the oil from the nuts, toast the sourdough over low heat until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
6. 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.
7. 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.

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