Romesco Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 dried Nora or ancho chiles (3/4 ounce), stemmed and seeded
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Two 1/2-inch-thick slices of baguette
• 6 large garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds
• 1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• Kosher salt
• Pepper

Steps

1. Boil 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan, take off the heat and add the chiles and sun-dried tomatoes. Stand about 1 hour until softened, then drain, keeping the soaking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, roast the plum tomatoes over a direct flame or under a broiler until spot-charred and blister-skinned. Cool, peel and chop coarsely.
3. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium skillet until nearly smoking. Cook the bread and garlic over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes, and lift onto a plate with tongs. Cook the almonds and hazelnuts in the skillet over moderate heat, stirring until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to the plate with a slotted spoon and reserve the garlic oil.
4. Pulse the bread, garlic and nuts very finely in a food processor. Add the drained chiles and sun-dried tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, bell pepper and paprika, and puree smooth. With the machine running, gradually add vinegar, 1/3 cup chile-soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon garlic oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Move to a medium bowl, stir in parsley and season generously with salt and pepper.