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Pasta with Shrimp and Romesco Sauce

  • February 13, 2013

 If you’re familiar with romesco sauce, you know it’s from the Catalonia region of Spain, and it’s frequently served as an accompaniment to fish, chicken or lamb. The recipe always includes roasted red peppers, but there are umpteen variations when it comes to the rest of the ingredients. Some include tomatoes, some not; some include almonds, some not. Think of it as a Spanish version of Italian pesto, with peppers instead of basil as the base. 

At a recent meeting of the Princeton Food Salon, a monthly gathering where people share food and listen to speakers on food related topics, I ate what has now become my favorite version of romesco — a version using hazelnuts rather than the traditional almonds and no tomatoes whatsoever.  It was brought by Fran, one of the members, who served it as a dip, along with crackers and comes from the book, Starting With Ingredients, by Aliza Green. 
I got to thinking that the romesco might make a delicious sauce for pasta, much like pesto,  and I had some heart-shaped pasta that was just perfect with Valentine’s Day approaching.
I added a few grilled shrimp to the dish and voilà — another delicious way of using romesco.
I didn’t include it this time, but the next time I make it to serve over pasta, I would add a couple of tablespoons of cream to thin out the sauce a wee bit.
To serve with the pasta, grill a few shrimp per person (smear a little garlic, olive oil and parsley all over shrimp and cook for a few minutes on a grill pan indoors or on an outdoor grill). Cook the pasta, then mix with some of the romesco sauce and add the shrimp. Sprinkle a little parsley on top.

Romesco Sauce
Printable Recipe Here

from Aliza Green’s Starting with Ingredients
2 large whole roasted red peppers
6 large cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil, divided
1 (1-inch thick) slice French baguette, crust removed,
cut in cubes (I just use 1 slice of bread)
¼ pound whole hazelnuts toasted and skins rubbed
off
1-1/2 teaspoons Pimenton dulce + ½ teaspoon cayenne
or 1-1/2 teaspoons hot paprika
¼ cup sherry vinegar
Kosher salt to taste

Puree the peppers and their juice in the bowl of a
food processor.  Without washing the bowl, transfer the paste to
a small pot and then cook slowly until it’s thick enough to hold its
shape, about 10 minutes.
Place the garlic and ½ cup of the olive oil
in a small pot and cook until the garlic is lightly browned, about 10
minutes. Add the cubed bread and cook 2 minutes longer or until lightly
browned.
Place the pepper paste, hazelnuts, and the garlic
and bread cubes and their cooking oil back into the food processor.
Process to a chunky paste, then add the Pimenton, sherry vinegar and
salt.
Process again, then drizzle the remaining olive oil
to make a thick sauce. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

 

To serve with the pasta, grill a few shrimp per person (smear a little garlic, olive oil and parsley all over shrimp and cook for a few minutes on a grill pan indoors or on an outdoor grill). Cook the pasta, then mix with some of the romesco sauce and add the shrimp. Sprinkle a little parsley on top.