Charred leeks with romesco sauce
Ingredients
Leeks:
- 4 large leeks
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
- Oil, for the grill
Sauce:
- 3 Roma tomatoes, halved, tossed with olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, skin removed
- 2 red chilis, toasted
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) hazelnuts, toasted
- 3 tablespoons almonds (45 milliliters), toasted
- 2 red peppers, tossed with olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) olive oil + more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) fennel seed, toasted, ground
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) honey
Bread:
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Sauce:
- Preheat the barbeque to medium-high or 375 F (190C).
- Oil the grill.
- Place the tomatoes on the grill skin side down to char, once skin begins to separate from the tomato remove the tomatoes from the grill and remove the skin.
- Place peppers on the grill to char, turn as the skin blackens.
- Once the peppers are completely charred remove from the barbeque and put in a bowl to sweat.
- After five minutes remove the skin and seeds by scraping the pepper, do not use water to rinse.
- In a hot skillet place garlic and chilis, blister for one minute.
- To a food processor add the charred tomatoes, garlic, chilis, hazelnuts, almonds, and charred peppers, lemon zest, blitz.
- Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, fennel, and honey, Process until smooth.
- Place into serving bowl.
Sourdough:
- Preheat the barbeque to medium-high or 375 F (190 C).
- Slice bread thinly and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, toast on the barbeque.
Leeks:
- Trim the root ends of the leeks. Chop off the tough, dark green ends and discard.
- Slice the leeks in half. Place them in a bowl of cold water to soak.
- Preheat half the grill to medium-high or 375 F (190 C).
- Brush leeks with olive oil and place leeks on the lit side of the barbeque cut side down to begin charring.
- Place closely together to maintain shape and prevent the leeks from peeling open, cook for five minutes.
- Turn leeks over and cook for ten minutes, the outer skin will be tough and should be discarded.
- Chop leeks into bite size pieces.
- Serve grilled leeks, grilled sourdough and romesco sauce on a platter.
- Note: Cooking times and temperatures will vary depending on the size and type of your barbeque.
