Romesco also makes a great dip to have as an antipasto or on crostini.
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
1kg asparagus, ends snapped off and washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 slice (about 40g) good bread, crusts removed
1⁄2 cup whole blanched almonds, plus 1⁄4 cup extra for garnishing, toasted
1⁄2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 teaspoons sweet Spanish paprika
1 large red capsicum, roasted, skin and seeds removed
225g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
1⁄2 cup olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes in boiling water then drain and refresh in ice-cold water to halt the cooking process and retain its bright green colour. Dry on paper towels.
Heat the oil in a small sauté pan and fry the bread on both sides until golden.
In a food processor place the bread, nuts, garlic, chilli, and paprika and process until finely chopped. Add the capsicum, tomatoes, and vinegar.
Blend, then, with the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Season to taste.
Arrange the asparagus on a platter and cover the bottom of the stems with some of the sauce.
Scatter over the extra almonds and serve the remaining sauce in a bowl. Serves 8
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.