Bazaar Style Romesco Sauce

Yield: 2 1/2 Cups

1 Cup Roasted Red Peppers (2 to 3 peppers)

2 Tablespoons Bazaar Seasoning

1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds, Roasted

1 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Spanish Olive Oil, Divided

1/3 Cup Artisanal Bread Crumbs

2 Tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 Teaspoon Hawaiian Alaea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Pink Peppercorns

2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

1/4 Cup Grated Manchego Cheese

Romesco is a classic sauce, developed by Spanish fishermen to serve with their fresh catch. The Spaniards also use it as a dipping sauce for grilled vegetables. To us, Romesco is a perfect comfort food, especially when paired with lamb or chicken meatballs. The flavors are warm, earthy, and inviting, but with an added little kick that comes from the roasted peppers and Spanish olive oil. When served with a cucumber or arugula salad and some crusty bread, this dish is a meal in itself. But you may choose to add a pasta on the side, and that’s just fine with us. This recipe goes well with any hearty pasta. And if you’d like, you can also add a little heavy cream to the sauce to make it even more ‘comfortable’ and satisfying. P.S. If you can’t find a good Spanish olive oil, just go ahead and use a Mediterranean instead. It works nearly as well.

Combining seasoning blend with 2 tablespoons olive oil in small bowl. Mix well with a fork, cover and refrigerate until a pasted has formed, about 1 hour.

Place roasted peppers, almonds, breadcrumbs, vinegar, and seasoning paste in a food processor until the mixture has an artisanal texture – that is, coarse but uniform. Slowly add 1 cup olive oil, and pulse until sauce is well blended and smooth. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add more olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency has been reached. Remove mixture from processor and place in a bowl. Add salt and pepper, stir to combine, cover, and allow to stand for 30 minutes before serving. Heat sauce before tossing with meatballs and garnish with parsley and cheese.