The place of origin of the salsa "romescu" is Tarragona, Catalonia. It is an area of almond trees, piñol pines, hazelnut trees, tomatoes, garlic, dried peppers (ñoras), and olive oil from the arbequina olive. The origin of the sauce is said to predate the Romans and it was used by fishermen to preserve their catch. The three main uses of the sauce are for fish or seafood, with calçots (grilled green onions) and the "Xató de Sitges" (an escarole salad with grilled red peppers and desalted cod fish).
Ingredients:
1 medium Maine lobster per person
For the sauce:
12 toasted almonds
6 toasted hazulnuts
6 toasted pinenuts
1 small grilled onion
4 grilled tomatoes, peeled
1 small grilled garlic head (remove the skin after grilling)
1 garlic clove
the meat of 3 ñoras or the meat of a dried pepper. The pepper has to be rehydrated, or you can buy the meat of the peppers in a jar (1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
salt to taste
The traditional way of working with these ingredients is with a mortar and pestle but I use a blender. In the blender place the almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts and grate them. Then add the meat of the peppers, the tomatoes, garlic, onion, hot paprika, olive oil and vinegar. Blend everything together. It should be a smooth and thick sauce since the nuts work as thickeners. Taste it and add salt to your taste. Some people also add a slice of fried bread to thicken it. If you don't like the sauce so thick, then add more olive oil.
To cook the lobster:
Grilled vs Boiled
I think it is a question of taste. I prefer to boil it and then use the liquid to make sauces. If you decide to boil the lobsters: Put water in a large pan (you don't need to add salt since the lobsters come from the sea and already have salt)and take the rubber bands of the claws before boiling. Bring the water to a boil, drop the lobsters in head first one at a time and bring the water to a boil again. Lower the heat and cook them for about 10 minutes until done. Remove the lobsters from the water and drain.
How to eat your boiled lobster:
Once the lobsters are boiled, you can serve them whole to your guests or you can do the work for them. Even when I serve them whole, I crack the claws with a rolling pin or the handle of a knife. Be careful!!!! Twist the claws and remove the meat. For the tail, bend the tail flippers and break them with the help of a fork. Push the meat from where the flippers used to be so the tail meat comes out in one piece, It will be tender and sweet.
The green part is the liver - you can eat it or discard it. As far as the knuckles, just bite them and, with the help of your teeth, squeeze out the meat. The body has 4 pokets. Crack it in the middle and you will find the meat on the joints where the 8 legs are attached. Dip the meat in the romescu sauce. Enjoy this delicacy!!!!
1 medium Maine lobster per person
For the sauce:
12 toasted almonds
6 toasted hazulnuts
6 toasted pinenuts
1 small grilled onion
4 grilled tomatoes, peeled
1 small grilled garlic head (remove the skin after grilling)
1 garlic clove
the meat of 3 ñoras or the meat of a dried pepper. The pepper has to be rehydrated, or you can buy the meat of the peppers in a jar (1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
salt to taste
The traditional way of working with these ingredients is with a mortar and pestle but I use a blender. In the blender place the almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts and grate them. Then add the meat of the peppers, the tomatoes, garlic, onion, hot paprika, olive oil and vinegar. Blend everything together. It should be a smooth and thick sauce since the nuts work as thickeners. Taste it and add salt to your taste. Some people also add a slice of fried bread to thicken it. If you don't like the sauce so thick, then add more olive oil.
To cook the lobster:
Grilled vs Boiled
I think it is a question of taste. I prefer to boil it and then use the liquid to make sauces. If you decide to boil the lobsters: Put water in a large pan (you don't need to add salt since the lobsters come from the sea and already have salt)and take the rubber bands of the claws before boiling. Bring the water to a boil, drop the lobsters in head first one at a time and bring the water to a boil again. Lower the heat and cook them for about 10 minutes until done. Remove the lobsters from the water and drain.
How to eat your boiled lobster:
Once the lobsters are boiled, you can serve them whole to your guests or you can do the work for them. Even when I serve them whole, I crack the claws with a rolling pin or the handle of a knife. Be careful!!!! Twist the claws and remove the meat. For the tail, bend the tail flippers and break them with the help of a fork. Push the meat from where the flippers used to be so the tail meat comes out in one piece, It will be tender and sweet.
The green part is the liver - you can eat it or discard it. As far as the knuckles, just bite them and, with the help of your teeth, squeeze out the meat. The body has 4 pokets. Crack it in the middle and you will find the meat on the joints where the 8 legs are attached. Dip the meat in the romescu sauce. Enjoy this delicacy!!!!
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