José Pizarro’s Calçots
A classic Catalonian recipe, these charred calçots served with an easy romesco sauce make a great barbecue side.
Introduction
For me, calçots are like British asparagus – I can’t wait for the season! During the season, you will find great parties called calçotadas all over Catalonia. My friend Eduardo says that the calçotadas are like a wedding party, with lots of food and drink. The traditional method is to put calçots on top of an open fire until the first layers are really burned – they will then cook in their juices, or you can also cook them on a barbecue, under the grill (broiler) or in a heavy-based pan. If you’re using a grill, cook them with the flame. Ñora peppers are red, round, sweet-fleshed peppers, normally dried. You’ll need to soak them for this recipe.
Ingredients
| 12 | calçots |
| olive oil | |
| For the romesco sauce | |
|---|---|
| 4 | ñora peppers, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour |
| 50g (1¾oz) | blanched almonds |
| 50g (1¾oz) | hazelnuts |
| 1 large | fresh tomato, peeled |
| 2 | garlic cloves |
| 1 slice | sourdough |
| 1 tbsp | sherry vinegar |
| 2 | piquillo peppers, drained |
| 75–100ml (2½–3½fl oz) | extra virgin olive oil |
Method
Blitz all the ingredients for the romesco sauce together in a food processor until you have a chunky sauce.
Clean the calçots and rub all over with olive oil. Light a charcoal barbecue and add some kindling to get it nice and hot and full of flames, or heat a heavy-based pan or griddle pan over as high a heat as you can.
Sear the calçots all over until browned and tender. Serve with the romesco sauce.
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