Salsa romesco (sauce)

For 50 cl*
12 blanched almonds or almond slivers
10-12 hazelnuts
1 head garlic
1 slice stale bread
2 ripe medium size tomatoes, or 1 large tomato
2 large roasted red peppers, well-drained
20 cl extra virgin olive oil
10 cl red wine or sherry vinegar
¼ ts red pepper flakes or small hot pepper (optional)

Rub off excess dry skin from garlic head. Put on baking sheet and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Roast in oven for 20 m at 150°C or until garlic on inside is roasted and soft.

Place almonds and hazelnuts into food processor and process until finely ground.

Pour a few tbs of virgin olive oil into a small frying pan. Quickly fry bread until both sides are browned. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a plate.

Cut tomatoes into quarters and sauté in same pan, adding oil if needed. Sauté for 4-5 m. Remove pan from heat.

Once bread is cooled, tear into 6 pieces and process with the nuts. Add sautéed tomatoes and continue to process. Squeeze roasted garlic from the skins into the processor. Place roasted red peppers into the processor with the other ingredients and process until ingredients are a thick puree.

While processor is running, slowly drizzle in the oil and vinegar. Add salt to taste.

Serve with meat, fish, poultry or vegetables. Or on a slice of good bread.

*Store in refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Romesco sauce originates from Tarragona, Catalonia in Spain. It was originally pounded in a mortar, like Italian pesto, and French rouille and tapenade. It is said that the fishermen of the area made it to eat with fish. Some say its origins are Roman, from the time that Tarragona was a provincial capital of the empire. Others credit the Moors: 'rumiskal', meaning to mix, from the Moorish era in Spain, may point to Arab origins for the sauce.
Try a quick version of romesco.

Catalan aioli

For ➍
4 unpeeled garlic cloves
½ ts salt
1 free-range egg yolk
17.5 cl extra-virgin olive oil

Crush the garlic cloves onto a chopping board under the blade of a large knife.
Remove the papery skins, sprinkle the garlic with the salt and work into a smooth paste using the knife blade.
Scrape the garlic paste into a bowl and add the egg yolk.
Whisk everything together. Very gradually whisk in the olive oil to make a thick mayonnaise-like mixture.
Serve with fish, stir into fish stews, or use with rice dishes, grilled lamb and vegetables.

Aioli, from the Provençal Occitan alhòli, or from the Catalan allioli is a garlic mayonnaise, a traditional sauce made of garlic, olive oil, and (typically) egg. The name comes from Provençal alh + òli, something like like garlic & oil. It is served in a wide region, as far as Malta, served with tomatoes, or in North-West Italy, with potatoes.
Try a quick Provençal version.

Catalan monkfish & mussels

For ➍
4 chunks (200 g) monkfish*
60 g flour
½ ts ground cumin
½ ts sweet smoked paprika
sea salt & ground pepper
3 tbs olive oil
1 kg mussels**
2 cloves garlic, crushed
15 cl sherry
4 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
400 g tin of butter beans, rinsed & drained
2 tbs butter
tomato bread***

Mix the flour, paprika and cumin in a shallow dish. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Dust fish in the seasoned flour on both sides and shake off excess.

Heat olive oil in pan over a medium high heat. Fry fish on both sides until just cooked. Don't let the flour burn.

Transfer fish to a plate and keep warm while you cook the mussels.

Increase the heat to high and pour in the sherry, garlic, most of the parsley and mussels. Give it a quick stir.

Cover with lid and cook over high heat, shaking the pan until mussels have opened. Discard any unopened mussels. Add the butter and just swirl it all together.

Tip any juices from the fish that was resting into the mussels. Place fish in a shallow dish or soup bowl and spoon the mussels, beans and juices over the fish. Season with freshly ground pepper and garnish with a a bit of extra parsley.

Serve with a slice of (sourdough) bread, Catalan tomato bread for instance.

*Or any firm white fish.
**Use clams instead.
***Optional.

Pa amb tomàquet (Catalan tomato bread)

For ➍
4 slices sour dough bread (or similar)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled & halved
extra virgin olive oil
4 very ripe vine tomatoes

Slice the bread 1 cm thick and toast or grill until golden.

Rub one side of each bread slice with the garlic halves.

Slice the tomatoes in half. Squeeze the pulp over the bread slices while discarding the skins.

Sprinkle a bit of sea salt and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Serve immediately as the tomato pulp makes the bread soggy.

*Or cut the tomatoes in 2, grate them over a bowl. Add salt and oil. Put it on a table with the bread, and let people spread the tomato when they want the bread.
Serve with a tortilla, or some good Spanish ham or tuna. Or with fish like Catalan monk fish.