ONIMA recipes
Romesco
Roasted tomato, garlic, ñora peppers and almonds make a textured romesco with sherry vinegar and Habanero Koji.
- Yield
- Serves 4
- Active Time
- 30 minutes
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Original recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe tomatoes, different varieties, cored
- 1 head of garlic
- 50g dried ñora peppers
- 1 slice stale bread
- 25ml sherry vinegar
- 75g toasted almonds (preferably marcona)
- 40ml olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Habanero Koji hot sauce, to taste
Step by step
-
Roast Tomatoes and Garlic
In a 350ºF oven, roast the cored tomatoes and garlic after drizzling with olive oil. Roast until tender, then let cool.
-
Rehydrate the Ñora Peppers
Rehydrate ñora peppers by pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit for about 30 minutes.
-
Prepare the Peppers
Drain the ñora, remove the seeds, stems, and scrape the flesh from the skin. Set the flesh aside.
-
Extract Tomato and Garlic Flesh
Remove the flesh from the roasted tomatoes and set aside. Squeeze the soft garlic from the head and set aside.
-
Grind Almonds
Toast the almonds until lightly browned and add them to a mortar and pestle. Slowly grind until a rough paste forms.
-
Add Oil, Vinegar, and Bread
Drizzle small amounts of olive oil and sherry vinegar into the almond paste, gradually adding the stale bread to hydrate the mixture.
-
Combine the Ingredients
Once a thick paste has formed, begin adding the tomatoes, ñora flesh, and garlic. Keep adding vinegar and oil as needed to maintain a smooth consistency.
-
Season and Add Habanero Koji
Season to taste with salt and add Habanero Koji hot sauce for spice. Adjust seasoning as needed.
The whole recipe, at a glance
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What is Romesco?
Romesco sauce hails from Tarragona, a coastal city in Catalonia, Spain, just south of Barcelona. Traditionally, its key ingredients include nuts like almonds or hazelnuts, tomatoes, dried peppers, garlic, bread, olive oil, and vinegar, all blended into a thick paste.
This flavorful sauce is incredibly versatile. You can pair it with a wide range of dishes—meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, sandwiches, soups, or simply spread it on toasted bread. It can be customized to your taste, whether you prefer it thick or thin, chunky or smooth, spicy or mild.
Romesco can also be stirred into stews and braises, adding a depth of flavor that enhances any dish. It works well with pasta, rice, or even thinned out as a dressing for salads.