roasted red pepper romesco
the end of summer is gradually becoming a reality. on wednesday, david had his first day back at school teaching high school math. i regret not taking a 'first day of school' photo of him in his bike commute getup. next year! that same day, i stupidly went grocery shopping for a client during another local highschool's lunch break and was swarmed by teens on their first day of school venturing off campus to the nearby whole foods. note to self, this was terrible timing.
the last few weeks have been quite a rush! catering celebrations of all sizes, including a beautiful garden wedding for two amazing gentlemen. contributing to their special day, observing some very sweet moments, being told it was the best wedding food a guest had ever tasted, feeling sincere gratitude from the grooms, and pulling off a farm to table dinner for 85 people... that day was the most rewarding experience for me as a chef yet! thank you nick & joe!
today i am excited to be teaching a cooking lesson on fun little appetizers to a group of women that competed and kicked ass in macksmo's latest 6-week fitness challenge. their prize: a lesson and meal with chef aubrey. among the many recipes we will be tackling tonight is this roasted red pepper romesco sauce and peppery baked pita chips. perfect party food.
roasted red pepper romesco dip
4 red bell peppers, quartered and seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup walnuts
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon Aleppo chili flakes
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
on a baking sheet or roasting pan, lay out peppers cut side down. use
hands to evenly coat peppers with oil. broil on high for 10-15 minutes, until
completely charred. place charred peppers in a chilled metal bowl and seal with plastic wrap. let the peppers steam and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. once chilled, use your fingers to gently
peel off and discard the charred skin. add the finished roasted peppers into a food
processor with remaining ingredients, and pulse to combine. romesco can be served
chunky as a dip or smooth as a sauce. it is best tasting at room temperature. serve with homemade pita chips, a vegetable platter, or as a sauce for a pizza! so many beautiful uses!
note: you can also add half a can of chunky tomatoes to make this into a slightly thinner sauce perfect for topping pasta!
click here for my baked pita chip recipe!