Asparagus with romesco sauce

Serves:4 as a side

Ingredients

200g cherry tomatoes
1 red chilli, halved and deseeded
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
35g blanched almonds
35g blanched hazelnuts
½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp red wine vinegar
400g asparagus, woody ends removed
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6. On a baking tray, toss the tomatoes and chilli with ½ tbsp oil, season and roast for 15 minutes until the tomato skins have burst open. Meanwhile, on a separate baking tray, roast the nuts for 5-7 minutes, until a shade darker and aromatic. Leave to cool.

2. Put the nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Tip into a bowl. Add the roasted tomatoes and chilli to the food processor with the paprika, garlic and vinegar; whizz until smooth. Stir into the nuts with 2 tbsp oil and season.

3. Toss the asparagus with the remaining ½ tbsp oil; season. Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat, add the asparagus and cook, turning regularly, for 5-7 minutes until tender (thinner spears need less time, thicker ones more). To serve, arrange the asparagus on a large serving plate, scatter over the parsley and drizzle with a little more oil, serving the romesco sauce alongside. 

This recipe first appeared in Waitrose & Partners Food, May 2019 issue. Download the Waitrose & Partners Food app for the full issue

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