Salbitxada Sauce Recipe from Cataluna

Catalan Salbitxada sauce is eaten with "calcots", a special kind of green onion from Cataluna. Char-grilled green onions with Salbitxada sauce make both a good "tapa" and side dish for spring and summer. Tasty and easy to make, try this sauce with all types of grilled vegetables, not just onions. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, a food processor makes this sauce a snap.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp blanched almonds
• 4 fresh bitxo peppers (or other mildly hot pepper)
• 8 cloves garlic
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

This salbitxada sauce recipe makes 2 1/2 cups or 4-6 servings.

Heat oven to 350F. Place almonds in hot oven to toast for 5-7 minutes. Place in a food processor or mortar and pestle and coarsely grind.

Peel and dice tomatoes and set aside.

Coarsely chop the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes. Peel and chop the garlic. Mash ground almonds, peppers and garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.

Mix in tomatoes, parsley and vinegar.

Pulsing the food processor, drizzle in the olive oil until sauce becomes thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with grilled “calcots” (green onions) or any other grilled vegetable. During summer months, consider serving this fresh sauce with grilled steaks.

• Calçots, a Catalan Delicacy, Why Catalans Go Crazy for the Tender Green Onion

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