Aunt Sheris Romesco Sauce Recipes

PAN-SEARED SHRIMP WITH ROMESCO SAUCE, CREAMY GRITS, AND GREENS

Steps:

• For the grits: Place a saucepan over high heat with the chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the grits, and stir with a whisk. Once the grits come to a simmer, add the cream, again reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook until the grits just start to thicken, about 8 minutes. Add the cheese to the grits, taste for seasoning, turn the heat off, and allow the cheese to melt into the grits. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Cover and keep warm.
• For the greens: In a medium pan over medium heat, heat the oil and saute the mustard greens until starting to wilt, about 1 minute. Stir in the chile flakes and cook 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the greens are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• For the shrimp: Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, allowing the butter to melt.
• Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and then add to the pan. Stir the shrimp while cooking. Cook until bright red, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Once the shrimp are cooked, add the wine to deglaze the pan, allowing the wine to simmer for 1 minute until reduced.
• Turn the heat off and add 2 to 3 tablespoons Romesco sauce, stirring in to coat the shrimp. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to finish.
• To plate, spoon the grits onto a plate, top with mustard greens, and top with shrimp.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor until finely ground but not pureed. Add the bread, vinegar, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and paprika to the processor and grind together briefly until evenly pureed. With the motor running, add the olive oil slowly until the sauce is thickened. Taste and season with salt.

AUNT SHERI'S ROMESCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place almonds in the food processor and process until finely chopped.
• Peel garlic and add it.
• Add rosemary and oregano.
• Pulse and finely chop garlic and herbs.
• Drain peppers and add them.
• Add vinegar, salt, sugar, and cayenne. Pulse motor to mix the ingredients.
• Drizzle the oil through the feed tube with the processor running.
• Blend thoroughly.
• Serve immediately or store in a covered container in the fridge for one week.

ROMESCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet, and place under the broiler at the highest setting. Broil for two to four minutes, until charred on one side. Turn over and broil on the other side for two to four minutes until charred. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Peel and core.
• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic cloves. When the garlic is chopped and adheres to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the toasted almonds (or almonds and hazelnuts), bread and chile powder or flakes to the bowl and process to a paste.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the pepper, tomatoes, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, and with the machine running, add the vinegar and olive oil in a slow stream, beginning with the smaller amount of olive oil and thinning out as desired. Process until well amalgamated, then scrape into a bowl.
• Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt or chile as desired. If possible, allow the sauce to stand for an hour at room temperature before using. Serve with fish and/or grilled vegetables, or on crostini.