Romesco is a fantastic Spanish pepper and nut sauce or salsa, which is a wonderful addition to grilled meat or fish. There are many variations, but essentially you are looking for a sweet, spiky, smoky relish. It's a super accompaniment to my butterflied chicken breasts and steamed greens.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 tblsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 150g tender stem broccoli
- 150g mangetout
- For the Romesco Sauce
- 50g blanched almonds, toasted
- 50g skinless hazelnuts, toasted
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 6 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tblsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 slice of stale white bread, torn up (crusts are perfect)
- ½ red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 large tomato, peeled, deseeded and chopped
- 90g roasted red peppers from a jar
- Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Method
- Place the chicken breasts on a clean chopping board and, using a sharp knife, slice horizontally across each breast, but not the whole way across so the breasts can be opened like a book.
- Whisk the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and chopped rosemary together with some sea salt and ground black pepper in a bowl. Add the breasts and baste with the marinade. Leave to sit while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Cook the broccoli in a steamer over a little water for 3–4 minutes until tender, then add the mangetout and steam for another minute.
- Prepare the romesco sauce by placing all the ingredients in a food processor and blitzing until they are combined but still have texture. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry for 2–3 minutes on either side until cooked all the way through. Serve the chicken with the romesco sauce and the steamed vegetables.
