Catalan Recipe Pages
Sauces
Samfaina sauce
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves of Garlic
2 large peppers (red, green, yellow or a combination)
3 good sized tomatoes
1 large aubergine
Parsley and Sage
salt and pepper
Method
Roughly chop the onions and fry gently until soft and light brown and while these cook blanch then peel the tomatoes which can also be de-seeded if you prefer. Add the finely chopped Garlic and after a couple of minutes the tomatoes, peppers and aubergine and bring to simmer. Leave covered on a low heat for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally then add the herbs and after a further 10 minutes. Season to taste.
Ali-oli sauce
Ingredients
8 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt
Method
Chop the garlic and place in a blender or pestle and mortar and add the oil until the sauce is thick and emulsified. Add salt to taste.
Picada Sauce
Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic
100g blanched almonds
100g blanched hazelnuts
75g breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
5-6 sage leaves
1 or 2 dried chilli's (depending on how hot you like it)
olive oil
salt and pepper
Method
Toast the almonds, hazelnuts and breadcrumbs lightly under the grill or in a frying pan. Using a pestle and mortar or food processor grind these ingredients together with the garlic then add the parsley and sage leaves and mush together with the oil until a thick paste is formed. Season to taste.
Sofrito sauce
Ingredients
4-5 tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1 teaspoon of paprika
salt and pepper
Method
Blanch and peel the tomatoes - also de-seed if desired. Finely chop the onion and fry gently in the olive oil until soft and translucent then add the cubed green pepper and cook for another 5 minutes on a higher heat but stirring all the time. Finely chop the garlic and add for another couple of minutes followed by the tomatoes and paprika and simmer for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes then pour the contents into a blender and blitz into a sauce. As a variation on this sauce try adding grilled or roasted red pepper with the skin removed instead of green which adds a subtle sweetness and smoothness
