This sauce is used as a dip for grilled onions, to top fish or meat, and is great on sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup olive oil
1 slice “white” bread (French, ciabatta, francese) 1” thick, approx 1 ounce
1/2 cup roasted almonds, broken up with the bottom of a pan
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 medium red bell peppers (or pimentos, corno de toro) roasted, peeled, seeded, deribbed, and sliced-or use one jar of Trader Joe’s Fire Roasted Peppers
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 –2 teaspoons paprika or smoked Spanish paprika (a.k.a. preferably Pimenton de la Vera)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or as needed to balance
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
METHOD:
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Fry the bread until golden on both sides, turning once (about 2 minutes per side).
When cool enough to handle, break up and add to the food processor fitted with a blade. Add almonds and garlic, and pulse to break up.
Add pepper, tomato, paprika, salt, and pepper and puree to form a slightly chunky paste. Add vinegar in a thin stream.
With the motor running, stream in oil until emulsified
Taste for balance and adjust with oil or vinegar if needed.
Transfer to a jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week.
YIELD: About 1 1/2 cups
SOURCE: Chef Andrew Cohen
