A few of the members, had requested (Catalan Recipes) a recipe or two …
ROMESCO signifies, a sauce for stews, and was first created in Tarragona, the autonomous region south of Barcelona. The main ingredient is pebrot de romesco, a red Capscium annun variety, which is exceptionally sweet and flavoursome.
Recipe …
200 ml. Evoo of choice
410 Grams of fresh crab or prawns
200 grams of red ripe tomatoes ( peeled and de-seeded is suggested )
155 grams of sweet onion or shallot and leek sliced finely or diced finely
garlic to taste
500 ml. wáter ( we use prawn or crab broth from home made stock )
15 grams of day old baguette or similar
2 air dried capsicum annun dried chili peppers ( that crumble and are shaped like a tiny horn)
16 almonds blanched ( peeled )
8 hazelnuts ( peeled )
4 small squid
4 small filets of fresh hake or fresh cod
8 large prawns or langoustines = Norway Bay Lobsters = Scampi
1 small lobster ( 500 grams )
salt and black peppercorns freshly ground
- Heat a little Evvo in a skillet and sauté the crabs. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the tomatoes, onion and garlic to taste, in the same Evoo approx 8 to 10 minutes over low heat.
- Heat wáter in a large cassoulet or stock pot. Mash the crab meat in a small mortar with pestle and add to the pot, followed by the tomato mixture. Cover and low slow simmer for 18 - 20 minutes.
- Now, strain off the broth and set aside.
- Heat the rest of the Evoo in a skillet and saute the following ingredients: the bread cubes, the air dried chili peppers, almonds & the hazelnuts and a clove of garlic. Transfer each ingredient to a mortar as it is cooked and mash to form a “paste” like “pesto” or use a “stand up mixer” …
- Then, strain the Evoo into a large casserole and lightly sauté the squids, and add a little broth, and cook the squids approx 10 minutes or until tender ( these are baby squids and look like a cluster ).
- Add the rest of the finned fish and shellfish (last) and check seasoning. Pour in the crab broth and simmer another 12 - 15 minutes. Put the Shellfish in at the final termination of the cooking process so that they are not over done.
- Serve in earthenare with extra Romesco on the side and ali oli …
Wine Pairings: Sparkling Wines of choice, Barcelona Cava Sant Sadurní d´ Anoia, Prosecco, Galician Sparkling Wine etcetra.
Enjoy … This is an exceptional lunch or can be a “tapa” served with rustic bread of choice.
