Sautéed Mushrooms on Romesco Sauce

20 mins Prep Time

30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

This is a super tasty, savoury and delicious appetizer. The first time I tried romesco sauce was last summer and since then, I have become obsessed. This recipe is a romesco sauce base made with roasted peppers, tomatoes, almonds, garlic and herbs, blended until the desired consistency is reached. Typically, romesco sauce is eaten with seafood or some eat it with pasta but I have opted to serve the romesco with sautéed buttery, garlic mushrooms on top. Once you prep all your ingredients, preparation is quite simple. I love this dish served with sliced baguettes, but you could just as easily cook up some pasta and toss it with a serving of this romesco mushroom combination. If you love roasted peppers, this dish is for you. The flavour development achieved from the roasted peppers comes through perfectly and is balanced by the nuttiness from the almonds or hazelnuts and the acidity from the sherry vinegar.

Ingredients

Mushrooms

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound button mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Romesco Sauce

2 large red peppers, roasted and peeled (seeds and membranes removed)
3 medium tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes
2 thick slices (about 2 ounces) baguette or country-style bread, lightly toasted
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup toasted almonds, or a combination of almonds and skinned roasted hazelnuts
1 to 2 teaspoons pure ground chili powder or red pepper flakes, to taste (pepper flakes are hotter)
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika or Spanish smoked paprika
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

Directions

Romesco Sauce

6 Steps

Step 1

In a frying pan on medium heat, toast your nuts for about 2 minutes or until aromatic (watch carefully so they don't burn).
Step 2

Preheat the broiler and cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the tomatoes and peppers on the baking sheet, and place under the broiler at the highest setting. Broil for two to four minutes, until charred on one side. Turn over and broil on the other side for two to four minutes until charred. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Peel and core.
Step 3

In a food processor, add garlic cloves. When the garlic is chopped, add the toasted almonds (or almonds and hazelnuts) and bread. It will form a crumbly mixture at this point.
Step 4

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the roasted and peeled peppers and tomatoes, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, and with the machine running, add the vinegar and olive oil in a slow stream, beginning with 1/4 cup of olive oil and thinning out as desired. Process until well amalgamated, then scrape into a bowl. You can make it as thick as you want.
Step 5

Depending on the size of my tomatoes or peppers, I sometimes have to add an additional tomato to achieve desired consistency.
Step 6

Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt as desired. Allow the sauce to stand for an hour at room temperature before serving. You can store in fridge in an airtight container until ready to serve. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature.

Mushrooms

5 Steps

Step 1

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat.
Step 2

Add the mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 3

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are caramelized.
Step 4

Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
Step 5

Serve on top of your romesco sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

Ingredients

Mushrooms

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound button mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Romesco Sauce

2 large red peppers, roasted and peeled (seeds and membranes removed)
3 medium tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes
2 thick slices (about 2 ounces) baguette or country-style bread, lightly toasted
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup toasted almonds, or a combination of almonds and skinned roasted hazelnuts
1 to 2 teaspoons pure ground chili powder or red pepper flakes, to taste (pepper flakes are hotter)
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika or Spanish smoked paprika
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, as needed