Grilled spring onions with roasted tomatoes and nuts sauce | Calçots con romesco
The Catalonian sauce for this dish is more famous than the main ingredient itself but in the last decade they have raised in popularity to the point that these particularly sweet and large spring onions have become quite a thing in Spanish restaurants outside of Spain. It is very regional and in Catalonia they make a huge celebration called “Calçotadas” in January and is a day that brings everyone together to enjoy them cooked over the BBQ. They are so messy to eat that even bibs are given away so you don’t spoil your clothes. If you get hold of these beauties, invite your neighbours over and make your own “Calçotada”, fun will be guaranteed!
INGREDIENTS
A bunch of calçots
FOR THE ROMESCO150ml extra virgin olive oil
1 slice of bread
5 tomatoes
1 large head of garlic
50g hazelnuts
50g almonds
40ml Sherry vinegar
2 dried ñora peppers
A pinch of sweet smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Place the dried ñora peppers in hot water for a couple of hours and let them hydrate.
Roast the tomatoes and head of garlic for about 35 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius. In the last 5 minutes of cooking add the slice of bread drizzled with some of the olive oil, the almonds and the hazelnuts so they toast as well.
Peel the tomatoes, squeeze the pulp from the head of garlic and blend with all the ingredients together until a coarse paste has formed.
Grilled over very high heat your calçots on both sides until the sking has burned completely. Remove from the heat and wrap them with a newspaper for about 20 minutes to let them steam inside. Peel out the blackened skin and enjoy dipped into the romesco sauce.
