Florence Fabricant's Romesco Sauce With Marcona Almonds

Ingredients

• 2 dried ñora chiles available in Spanish markets and online, or 1 ancho chile
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 25 marcona almonds
• 15 skinned hazelnuts or additional almonds
• 1 cup small cubes of stale sourdough bread
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 jarred piquillo peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 medium ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped about 2/3 cup
• ⅔ cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• ½ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika, sweet or hot, or to taste
• Salt

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

    99 calories; 7 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 1 gram protein; 34 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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1 1/2 cups

Preparation

1. Cut the chiles in half, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water, weighing them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds, hazelnuts and bread cubes and stir until they start to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir until lightly browned. Add the piquillo peppers. Remove from heat.
3. Drain the chiles, and remove stems and seeds. Chop the chiles, add them to the pan, heat and stir briefly. Add the tomato, stir and cook a minute or so until softened. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer to a food processor or a blender and pulse until a rough paste is formed. With the machine running, slowly pour in the wine. Turn off the machine, add vinegar, paprika and salt, to taste, then pulse briefly to blend. The sauce will have a slightly nubbly texture.

40 minutes