Romesco is a traditional sauce made with almonds and peppers, and it's served in innumerable preparations in Spain. In the springtime, charred onions are dipped into Romesco for a special treat. This playful take on that tradition is the perfect thing to set out at a party with some olives. Everyone will love onions cooked this way. The burnt exterior is pulled away to reveal a soft and sweet, almost candy-like inside that is a great foil for the spicy Romesco spread. We have a sweet memory grilling them on the 4th of July with our friends during this grilled vegetarian paella extravaganza.Romesco Crostini with Charred Spring Onions
12 to 15 purple or green spring onions
1 medium head garlic
1 medium red pepper
1/3 cup roasted and salted almonds
1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (softened in warm water)
1/3 cup torn baguette
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 to15 grilled or toasted thin baguette slices (for serving)
12 to 15 slices of Manchego (for serving)
Preheat outdoor grill to high heat. Place the green onion, garlic, and red pepper on the grill and turn frequently until completely charred on all sides; the amount of time on the grill will vary depending on how hot your grill gets. Place it all into a bowl and cover with foil until it's cool enough to handle. Cut the top off of the bulb of garlic and peel and seed the roasted red pepper.
Into the work bowl of your food processor, squeeze the soft garlic from the head, add the roasted red pepper, almonds, sun dried tomato, bread, red pepper flakes, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and smoked paprika. Run the food processor until a paste forms -- you're looking for a thick and spreadable consistency.
To serve, slather about a teaspoon of Romesco sauce onto a toasted baguette. Top that with a peeled charred onion. Simply squeeze the onion bulb from the root end to reveal a sweet, translucent morsel. Top with a slice of Manchego cheese. (Serves 4 as an appetizer.)
