This week I want to share a recipe for low FODMAP romesco, a classic Spanish sauce, with a funky, smoky flavour, usually made with roasted red peppers and almonds. Also known as fisherman’s sauce or Spanish ketchup*, it’s rich and creamy – without any lactose in sight – and goes with everything from fish, to eggs, to greens.
Vibrant orangey-red in colour, it’s just as delicious in the winter as it is in the summer, but right now I’m loving it most with grilled fish and charred roasted veggies. For my version below I’ve switched the almonds for walnuts, which are lower in FODMAPs and the garlic for garlic infused olive oil. If you don’t follow the low FODMAP diet however, simply adjust using the recipe notes (extra garlic optional).
*I don’t know if this is strictly true, but romesco originated in a city called Tarragona in Catalonia, the northeastern-most region of Spain that touches France. Tarragona is a port city, and I love the told story that the local fishermen made romesco sauce to liven up the day’s catches.
FYI I once took the recipe below to a party as dip served alongside a plate of crudités and five people asked me for the recipe. If that doesn’t persuade you to make it, I don’t know what will.
Smoky low FODMAP romesco sauce recipe notes:
- I love using tomato puree for the richness it gives, but you can also use fresh tomatoes, especially when in season
- To make the recipe higher FODMAP use almonds or hazelnuts instead of the walnuts and add in a clove of garlic when you pulse the nuts and skip the garlic infused olive oil
Ingredients
80g walnuts
2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
3 pieces roasted red bell pepper from a jar (check no added high FODMAP ingredients if needed)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1⁄4 teaspoon chilli flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
80-100ml extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1⁄2 a lemon
Method
Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. If your food processor only goes as far as chunkily-ground that’s OK – I actually prefer a version with a bit of texture.
Add in the garlic oil, roasted red peppers, tomato puree, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, salt and a couple of twists of black pepper and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then, with the machine running, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil, until the sauce is smooth and spoonable. You might not need the full 100ml – see how you go. Likewise you might find you like it with a little more vinegar, or a little more chilli. Taste and adapt to suit you. Add a squeeze of lemon to taste too, give the sauce a final stir and serve.
Any leftovers should keep in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Best taken out of the fridge for about an our or so before you want to eat.
Recipe photographs by Emma Croman.
