Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

Romesco Sauce:
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• ¼ cup blanched hazelnuts, toasted
• ¼ cup blanched almonds, toasted
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and germ removed
• 2 Tablespoons pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
• 1 red chili pepper
• 2 slices bread, crusts removed and toasted with extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons tomato sauce
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
• Salt to taste

Grilled Spring Onions:

• 2 pounds baby leeks,scallions, or baby bulb onions
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:
For Romesco Sauce:
Lightly grease peppers with vegetable oil and grill over a flame. Blister the skin and place into a bag to rest and loosen skin. Peel and discard the skin and seeds. Reserve on the side.

Using a mortar and pestle, ground together the nuts and garlic, or combine in a food processor. Put the pimenton, chili pepper, and bread in the processor and process further. Add the tomato sauce to adjust consistency and process again. Take the sauce out of the food processor and add the extra-virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar by hand. Season with salt and reserve.

For Grilled Spring Onions:
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium - high. Trim and oil the baby leeks with extra-virgin olive oil. Season leeks with salt and pepper and grill over flames until cooked. Remove from grill. Drizzle Romesco sauce over the leeks and serve.

Suggested Wine Pairing:
Kyrie 2000 (Priorat, Spain) or Gessami Gramona 2004 (Penedes, Spain)