Mediterranean Romesco with Charred Spring Onions

Ingredients

• red bell peppers3
• plum tomatoes2
• garlic cloves, unpeeled4
• blanched almonds60 g
• hazelnuts30 g
• day-old country bread1 thick slice
• sherry vinegar1 tbsp
• smoked paprika1 tsp
• extra-virgin olive oil120 ml
• spring onions or thick scallions2 large bunches
• sea saltto taste

Steps

1. 1

   Roast peppers, tomatoes, and garlic.

   Roast peppers, tomatoes, and garlic on a sheet pan at 220C/425F until peppers are slack and blackened in patches, about 25 minutes.

2. 2

   Toast nuts and remove hazelnut skins.

   Toast almonds and hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then rub hazelnuts in a tea towel to slip the skins.

3. 3

   Fry bread in olive oil.

   Fry the bread slice in 2 tbsp olive oil until deep gold on both sides. Tear into pieces.

4. 4

   Make the romesco sauce.

   Peel peppers and squeeze garlic from skins. Pulse with tomatoes, nuts, fried bread, sherry vinegar, and paprika in a food processor. Stream in remaining olive oil to a coarse, brick-red paste. Season aggressively with salt.

5. 5

   Char spring onions over flame.

   Char spring onions directly over a gas flame or screaming grill until the outer layers are black, about 6 minutes, turning often.

6. 6

   Eat the charred spring onions.

   To eat: pinch off the charred sheath, dunk the soft white into romesco, and tip into your mouth from above.