It�s not unusual for me to get requests for recipes I�ve already done before, but over the last few years, I seemed to be getting an abnormal number of requests for romesco sauce. Knowing I had already filmed it, I�d reply with something polite, like what don�t you understand about using Google?
Well, I�d like to apologize to all those people I blew off, since while it�s true I posted a video for romesco, it was actually many years ago, on About.com, which has ceased to exist. In fairness, I�ve done over 1,800 videos, as well as lived over 54 years, so hopefully a little recipe related forgetfulness would be forgiven.
Anyway, it was high time to update this Spanish classic, since it�s one of the all-time great summer sauces. It�s pretty much perfect with anything off the grill, especially vegetables and seafood, and that�s how we usually enjoy this, but there�re so many other places where this can shine. It makes for an unbelievable sandwich spread, as well as perfect �secret ingredient� for your favorite potato or pasta salad dressings.
Like most sauces and condiments, this begs for personalization; whether we�re talking the level of heat, or ratio between the ingredients, or how smooth or course you grind it, you shouldn�t hesitate to adapt this to your tastes. But, no matter how you tweak this, or what you serve with it, I really do hope you make some soon, and then keep making it all summer. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 3 cups:
3 large red bell peppers, fire-roasted, seeded, and peeled
If you ever find yourself in a Spanish restaurant, and they don�t have some version of this garlic shrimp recipe on the menu, immediately get up from your table, and leave. This would be the equivalent of a French bistro that doesn�t serve steak frites. What about vegetarian Spanish restaurants and French bistros? That�s a trick question, since those aren�t a thing.
Anyway, the point here is that every Spanish restaurant serves this, and for very good reasons. It�s fast to make, gorgeous to look at, and, if you�re into garlic, one of the most delicious things you�ll ever eat. Just be sure to use nice fresh, frozen shrimp. Allow me to explain.
Unless you live in a few choice locations, it�s rare to find true fresh shrimp at the market. All they do is thaw some frozen, and put it in the case, where it sits until you buy it, which is why it really makes a lot more sense to purchase frozen. Of course, not all frozen shrimp is created equal, so I encourage you to research the best sources, but the point is you don�t want something already thawed.
Speaking of which, I thaw mine by running cold water into the bowl of frozen shrimp, let it sit for about 10 minutes, before draining, and repeating once more. After that it should be fully thawed, at which point the shrimp can be drained, and prepped.
The last tip I�ll give, is to make sure you have all your ingredients together before you head to the stove, since start to finish, this only takes minutes to complete. This is another reason it�s so great for a party, since you can prep everything ahead of time, and finish it whenever you�re ready to serve. But, whether you feature this at a party, or not, I really do hope you give this amazing Spanish garlic shrimp recipe a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 Spanish Garlic Shrimp Portions:
1 pound peeled and *deveined shrimp (look for the 21-25 per pound size or larger)
kosher salt to taste
1 teaspoon hot, smoked paprika, optional
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves peeled garlic, slice thin
2 tablespoons dry sherry wine (or white wine and a pinch of sugar)
If too much sausage in a cheese dip was the biggest problem you have during a workweek, you have to consider that to be a pretty great week. They say, less is more, but I was hoping that twice the amount of chorizo in this fundido would make it twice as good, but that wasn�t really the case.
The taste was great, and as I said in the video, I highly doubt anyone at your party would complain, but what I really wanted was an ooey, gooey, much drippier dip, and so in this case, less would have been more.
Below, I�ve listed the amounts as I think they should be, with what I actually used in parentheses, and I�ll leave it up to you, to adjust as you see fit. Besides the sausage amount, I think adding some sour cream may also help the cause. Are you ready for some football? I am, but even if you�re not going to serve this chorizo fundido to a bunch of screaming lunatics on game day, I still hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 8 portions Chorizo Fundido:
8 ounces fresh pork chorizo (I used 1 pound)
1/2 cup sliced green onions, the light parts
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 poblano chilies, diced
2 jalapenos, diced
4 ounces cream cheese (I used 8 oz)
4 ounces sharp cheddar
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup sour cream (I think it may help give a creamier texture)
You do not have to go to a place, to be inspired by their food. In fact, it�s a lot cheaper, and easier if you don�t. So, as I stated in the into, this Chilean sea bass San Sebastian is the result of a little culinary mind game I play, where I try to invent a recipe that I think could/would be served there, and this is one of those dishes.
I love the technique of spreading a flavored mayo, or aioliover a piece of fish, before roasting it in a very hot oven. Not only does it keep the seafood moist, we don�t have to worry about making a sauce when it�s done. Another advantage is that by simply changing the seasoning of the sauce, we can create countless variations.
This will work with any piece of fish you can cut into a thick chunk, but Chilean sea bass is my favorite choice. By the way, that�s just the name it�s commonly sold by. Its real name is the much less marketable �Patagonian toothfish.� Mmm�.toothfish. Due to past overfishing, much of it illegal, Chilean sea bass has landed on lots of �do not eat this� lists, but there are sustainable sources available.
I got mine from Markfoods.com, which is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and the quality was top notch. This is not a sponsored post, but in the spirit of full disclose, the fish seen herein was a complimentary sample sent to me by my friend Kevin, who runs the operation. Regardless, this was one of the best fish dishes I�ve had in a while, and I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 servings:
1 pound Chilean sea bass filet, cut into two portions
kosher salt to generously season fish
For the sauce/crust:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed fine
cayenne to taste
whole roasted Marcona almonds for grating, or any other whole almond 2 teaspoons olive oil
I�ve never been to Spain, so to what extent this is actually Spanish octopus, I can�t really say, but after having enjoyed this underrated seafood in more Spanish restaurants than I can remember, it has to be pretty close.
Above and beyond the ingredients, the cooking method, or should I say methods, couldn�t be easier. As long as you braise it gently on low heat, until just tender, and then give it a nice sear before serving, you should be in great shape. Which is why I�ve never understood all the crazy tips and tricks, for achieving the perfect texture.
Some say to beat it on rocks before braising, while others insist a few wine corks are the way to go. If you have one of these magical techniques, I�d love to hear about it, especially if it sounds extra nutty, but I have to admit, I am a skeptic.
You should be able to find frozen Spanish octopus at your finer markets, which is the only kind I�ve ever used, so I can�t say how much better it is fresh, but one day I would love to find out, preferably in Spain. Fresh or frozen, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for two portions:
1 pound piece Spanish octopus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 large or 2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup white wine
- Serve with crusty roasted potatoes
For the sauce:
About 1/3 cup reserve braising liquid (boiled, strained)
