Romesco Sauce

This sauce can be used for just about anything.  I originally made it to top baby artichokes, like the dish I had at a tapas restaurant.  I found, though, that it was also delicious with the chicken I made with the meal.  I would imagine it could be tossed with pasta or eaten with shrimp and seafood.  A delicious, light sauce!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1-inch thick slice of crusty bread, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds, chopped or slivered
• 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 15-oz can of crushed or whole tomatoes, including the juice
• 1 8-oz jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preparation:

•  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, saute the bread and almonds, stirring often, until they just begin to brown.  Add the garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes, stirring once or twice.

• Place the contents of the saute pan in a food processor with the remaining ingredients - salt, tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, smoked paprika and vinegar.  Puree until smooth.  Spread the sauce out on a rimmed sheet pan and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges begin to caramelize.  Allow to cool and scrape into a container to store.