Leeks are a highly underrated vegetable, in our opinion. Here they take center stage and are enhanced with a generous slathering of tangy Romesco sauce (which is considered a mother sauce in Spanish cooking). This unique, elegant veggie side is a breeze to make, and so delicious to boot!
Caramelized Leeks With Romesco Sauce [Vegan]
Ingredients
Romesco Sauce:
- 5 tomatoes (ripe, medium-sized)
- 12 cloves garlic
- 4 Ñora pepper (alternatively use dried ancho peppers)
- 2 Guindilla chillies (alternatively use jalapeño peppers)
- 2 tablespoons almonds, roasted
- 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, roasted
- 2 slices white bread, toasted
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- Generous 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sweet pimentón
- Salt
- 6 leeks
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
To Make the Romesco Sauce:
- First, hydrate the dry peppers in a bowl with hot water for at least 2-3 hours. Remove the seeds and reserve the flesh.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roast the tomatoes and the garlic cloves. Take the garlic out after 12 minutes and leave the tomatoes for another five minutes.
- Peel the tomatoes, garlic, Ñoras, almonds, and hazelnuts.
- Toast the slice of bread.
- Put everything together with the oil and the vinegar in a bowl and mix thoroughly. The orthodox way to mix it is with the help of a mortar but you can also use a hand mixer being careful not to overdo it.
- Add in the pimentón, a pinch of salt and a Guindilla top to give it a kick. Mix again, taste it and correct the amount of salt and/or vinegar if needed.
- Wash the leeks thoroughly, chop the green bit off, and disregard it. For this recipe, we’ll only use the white part of the leek.
- Heat a medium-sized saucepan and gently melt the butter, sugar, vinegar and salt.
- Add the leeks and cook gently for around 25 to 30 minutes, until they turn golden on the outside.
- Serve together with a generous amount of Romesco sauce.
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