Zesty Romesco Sauce

Every once in awhile there's a recipe that makes me say to myself... WHY didn't you start eating this sooner?!?!

This is one of those recipes. The summer-fresh tomatoes, the earthy garlic; the zesty vinegar; the slight touch of sweetness from bell peppers, almonds and honey; the zip of the cayenne—all bound together with a high-quality olive oil... Let's just say this is the Mediterranean diet at its best.

I've seen this on the menu at restaurants but this was my first time making it at home. I used bottled roasted red peppers instead of roasting them myself, because I didn't feel like peeling the skin off. With that tweak, this recipe was not complicated at all, and SO worth the effort!

This is one more piece of evidence that bottled sauces are a waste of money. This one is a million times more flavorful, and so much better for you without cheap forms of oil, cheap fillers, and questionable preservatives.

It will be a kitchen staple in our household. I'm determined to keep a batch on hand at all times for use with meat, seafood, bread, cheese, pasta... anything! The only challenge will be keeping it from disappearing within an hour of my making it. Seriously, it was that good!

ZESTY ROMESCO SAUCE

4 whole tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, peeled

12 oz jar roasted red peppers

4 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 c white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

1 Tbsp honey

Dash of cayenne pepper

1/4 c toasted almonds

Heat oven to 400º F. Place tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then transfer to a blender and add bell peppers, vinegar, honey, cayenne, and almonds. Blend, drizzling in remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil. Add a bit of water as needed to bring the sauce to desired consistency.

For 21 Day Fix, measure with orange container.