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Romesco Sauce

  • Active Time

    40 min

  • Total Time

    1 hr

Erin Rutherford of Charlotte, North Carolina, writes: "This sauce was a hit with my supper club — I served it with filet mignon encrusted in black pepper, cumin, and sea salt, and it was killer. It would also pair well with swordfish."

Ingredients

Makes about 2 cups

1 dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, and ribs discarded
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (14- to 15-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
1 slice firm white sandwich bread, crust discarded and bread cut into small cubes (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup hazelnuts,toasted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon mild honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  1. Step 1

    Soak chile in boiling-hot water to cover until soft, about 15 minutes, then drain and thinly slice.

    Step 2

    While chile soaks, roast bell pepper on rack of a gas burner over moderately high heat, turning with tongs, until skin is blackened, 7 to 10 minutes. (Or broil on a broiler pan about 2 inches from heat, turning, 8 to 10 minutes.) Transfer immediately to a bowl and cover tightly, then let stand 10 minutes. When bell pepper is cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 8 pieces, discarding stems, seeds, and ribs.

    Step 3

    Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chile, bell pepper, and broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

    Step 4

    Add tomatoes including juice, bread, and hazelnuts and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Step 5

    Stir in butter, then carefully transfer sauce to a food processor. Add honey, salt, and pepper and pulse to a coarse purée. Season with salt.

Cooks' note:

Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

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  • I served this recipe over an elk ribeye and it was delicious. A must try.

    • jam4evr

    • Nashville

    • 2/25/2008

  • I am defintely in the minority here. This was quick but bland bland bland.

    • Anonymous

    • Westfield, NJ

    • 2/17/2008

  • This was delicious! We had it over pasta and my husband and I just loved it. I made a few substitutions because I am vegan. I sbustituted plain water for the chicken broth, corn syrup for honey, whole wheat bread for the white bread (because I didn't have white bread on hand), and olive oil for the butter. The flavor is complex - spicy, garlicky, and smokey (in a good way, like roasted veggies). The aroma from the hazelnuts is fantastic and the nuts add a nice texture, but I wasn't able to taste the nuts much. My husband is on a low-sodium diet, so I left the salt out of his and he said it was delicious. I will definitely make this again!

    • Doris

    • NJ

    • 3/24/2006

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