It's Super Bowl weekend here is the U.S. which means tons of yummy, greasy, carby foods will overtake our tables this Sunday. Before you reach for those prawns packaged up in those containers and serve it with boring old cocktail sauce, do I have just the thing for you!
And even if you're not into the whole Super Bowl weekend mania, Valentine’s day is also creeping up on us and you’re going to want to know how to make this even if you’re not celebrating Valentine’s and simply need a great recipe for dinner with family, friends or no occasion at all.
Because the Romesco sauce is a Spanish classic!
Versions of this Catalan favorite have with everything from tomato paste to chilly powder and no matter how you want to jazz this up, it remains so good.
A dee-lee-cious addition on everything from turkey sandwiches, roast chicken, roll ups or served traditionally as I’m doing here with sautéed jumbo prawns.
Uber simple to make, it all begins with pulling your small roasting pan and roasting some garlic cloves and plum tomatoes, then add almonds and macadamias or hazel nuts. The whole thing put into the food processor with roasted red peppers from a jar, olive oil and red wine vinegar. The result is a wonderful healthful sauce you will love.
And feel free to add a touch of tomato paste and smoked Spanish Pimenton if you want a richer and more heavily seasoned sauce but I wouldn’t over do it. This dish does deserve a bit of a splurge with jumbo tiger prawns and will take all of two minutes to put together once your sauce is made.
The whole production is a teensy bit of effort and a whole lot of ooh-la-la!
warmly,
Devaki
Recipe for
Prawns with Romesco Sauce
Shopping list / Serves 4
2 lbs large prawns with shells
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil
Romesco sauce: Recipe can be double if desired
4 garlic cloves, UNPEELED
1 plum tomato
½ tbs chili paste (preferably harissa chili paste)
¼ cup blanched almonds
¼ cup hazelnuts or macadamia nuts
1 large roasted red bell pepper (from Jar or deli)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs red wine or Champagne vinegar
Also a blender or magic bullet capable of fine pastes + a food processor
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F
Prawns: Shell & devein leaving tails intact. Toss the cleaned prawns with salt and refrigerate while prepping other ingredients.
Red bell pepper: Wipe down with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Tomato: Halve length wise and seed.
Before serving, in a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the prawns over high heat for approx. 5 minutes until slightly pink & curled. Serve immediately with Romesco sauce.
Method:
Line a baking tray with Aluminum foil. Spread the garlic cloves and drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil.
Place the tomato and bake for approx. 12 minutes. Now spread the nuts and continue baking for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for approx. 15-20 minutes. Peel the skin off the tomato.
Transfer the nuts into a magic bullet type processor and process until finely ground.
In the bowl of the food processor, peel the garlic from their skins, add the tomato, red bell pepper, olive oil, ground nuts, vinegar & chili paste. Process until a soft dipping consistency. Set aside for 30 minutes for flavors to meld.
Before serving, in a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the prawns over high heat for approx. 5 minutes until slightly pink & curled. Serve immediately with Romesco sauce.
Enjoy!
