Roasted Red Harmony
Recipe courtesy of Elmo Bida, WCEC, Executive Chef, Foxfire Golf & Country Club, Naples, Fla.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the Base and Sauce:
- butter beans - 2 cups, cooked (or canned, drained and rinsed)
- red bell pepper - 1 ea.
- roasted red pepper - 1 ea. (jarred or freshly roasted)
- shallot - 1 ea., small, chopped
- garlic - 2 cloves, minced
- olive oil - 2 Tbsps.
- smoked paprika - 1 Tbsp.
- sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar - 1 Tbsp.
- almonds or hazelnuts - 2 Tbsps., toasted
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- Ingredients for the Vegetables:
- asparagus - 1 bunch, trimmed
- eggplant - 1 ea., small, sliced into rounds
- cherry tomatoes - 12 ea., halved
- olive oil - for brushing
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- Accompaniments:
- flatbread crackers or crostini - 6–8 ea.
- fresh herbs: parsley, basil, or cilantro - finely chopped
Instructions
Procedure for the Romesco Sauce:
- Roast the red bell pepper and garlic until lightly charred.
- Blend roasted bell pepper, roasted red pepper, shallot, garlic, toasted nuts, olive oil, smoked paprika, and vinegar until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper.
- Fold in the cooked butter beans and warm gently over low heat to create a creamy base.
Procedure for the Grilled Vegetables:
- Preheat grill or grill pan.
- Brush asparagus and eggplant with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Grill until tender with nice char marks.
- Quickly roast cherry tomatoes until slightly blistered.
To Assemble:
- Spoon a generous layer of the butter bean romesco base into shallow bowls.
- Arrange grilled asparagus, eggplant, and blistered cherry tomatoes on top.
- Add flatbread crackers around the edges or on the side.
- Finish with fresh herbs.
