What’s In My Frig?

Isn't it funny that you've never tried a particular something, and then after you do try it you see it everywhere? That's the case with the first time I tried romesco sauce on an osso bucco dish at Nopa.

I never heard of romesco and when I saw it on the menu I thought it was like romanesco vegetable. But it's not a vegetable but a sauce originally from the Catalonia region of Spain. It's great with fish, but I've seen it complementing other dishes like the hearty osso bucco dish.

I find it really enjoyable, bright and fresh from the tomatoes but substantial from the nuts (typically almonds). It gets its Spanish twist from Nora chilies. I wish I could make it myself, but I think I need a food processor. (I just found a recipe in my Ad Hoc at Home cookbook, so I'm going to see if I can make it with my hand blender.)

For now, I can just buy it. I found a bottle of romesco at The Spanish Table in Berkeley, and this particular bottle has really great flavor. I use it whenever I pan-fry some fish, like this halibut dish below. It really dresses up a simply cooked piece of fish.