Calcots al Romesco
Grilled Leeks with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
2 Protein boxes and 2½ Carbohydrate boxes per serving.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
| 4 | large leeks OR |
| 8 | small leeks, well-cleaned, trimmed and blanched for 3 – 7 minutes, depending on size (substitute large green onions, without blanching) |
Sauce:
| 1 | dried pasilla chile (or other mildly-spicy, dried pepper) |
| 1 | red bell pepper |
| 2 | Roma tomatoes |
| 1 | guindilla pepper (or other hot, dried pepper) |
| 8 | cloves of garlic |
| 20 | almonds, whole and lightly toasted |
| 10 | hazelnuts, whole and lightly toasted |
| 1 Tbsp | pine nuts, lightly toasted |
| 5 | mint leaves |
| 1 tsp | chopped parsley |
| 1 tsp | sherry vinegar |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 1 cup + 1 Tbsp | olive oil* |
Instructions
In a small saucepan, just cover the pasilla pepper with water and cook until soft. Remove stem and skin. Reserve with cooking liquid.
Fire-roast, cool, then peel and seed the bell pepper and tomatoes.
Fry the guindilla pepper and the garlic in one tablespoon of olive oil until the garlic just starts to color.
Place everything except the remaining cup of olive oil in a food processor and blend. When smooth, drizzle in the olive oil.
Grill the leeks, turning, until they are tender. Outer leaves will char. Plate with a dollop of romesco, and remove the burnt outer leaves before eating.
*To prepare a more Jumpstart-friendly version of this recipe, use only half the suggested amount of olive oil.
