Roasted Red Pepper Spread (Romesco), Grilled Marinated Tofu and Roasted Courgette Sandwich

Some people say romesco is the Spanish pesto.  I wouldn’t say it’s like pesto exactly (apart from being a thick spread), but I did develop a bit of an obsession with it after I first tasted it to rival my obsession with pesto.  Romesco is a blend of roasted red peppers, almonds and toasted bread.  I believe some people use it on meat, but it’s also a great dip for bread, and I made a delicious sandwich with it of crusty bread, grilled marinated tofu, and roasted peppers and courgettes.

Romesco Sauce

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup blanched almonds, roughly chopped (or slivered blanched almonds)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1-2 slices bread (preferably a crusty Italian or French round from a bakery), crusts removed
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes, drained
• 1 8 oz jar roasted red peppers
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Toast the almonds, garlic and bread (tear into pieces) over medium heat until slightly browned.
2. Add the toasted almonds, garlic, bread and the remaining ingredients to a food processor and blend until it forms a thick paste similar in consistency to pesto, adding a bit more olive oil if needed.

I made sandwiches with my romesco sauce, along with grilled marinated tofu (I marinated it according to the instructions for Mediterranean marinated tofu in Vegan Eats World) and roasted peppers and courgettes (I roasted them in olive oil and Italian herb mix).  It made a great lunch, as well as quite an addictive dip for bread!