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The Fire 50 · cook it at home

Charred calçots (or spring onions) with romesco

1 hr · 4 people

The calçotada: sweet Catalan onions charred black over vine cuttings, wrapped in newspaper to steam, then peeled and dipped in romesco. Thick spring onions or baby leeks on any grill work outside of calçot season.

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The real one

You need

• 24 calçots, or 3 bunches thick spring onions, or 12 baby leeks
• For the romesco: 2 dried ñora peppers (or 1 ancho), soaked in hot water 20 minutes
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 50 g (1/3 cup) toasted almonds
• 30 g (1/4 cup) toasted hazelnuts
• 1 slice country bread, toasted
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Newspaper or foil for wrapping

How to make it

1. Roast for the romesco (25 min): Roast the tomatoes and the garlic head (top cut off, wrapped in foil) at 200°C (400°F) or on the grill until soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Squeeze out the garlic; peel the tomatoes.
2. Blend the romesco (5 min): Scrape the flesh from the soaked peppers. Blend the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, nuts, bread, vinegar, paprika and salt, then drizzle in the oil until thick and coarse. Taste for salt and vinegar.
3. Char the onions (10 to 15 min): Over a very hot fire, lay the calçots in a single layer and grill, turning, until the outer layers are completely blackened, 10 to 15 minutes. Spring onions take 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Steam (10 min): Wrap them in a bundle of newspaper or foil for 10 minutes so they finish softening inside.
5. Eat (as long as it takes): Hold each by the green top, pull off the charred outside with the other hand, dip the white heart in romesco, and lower it into your mouth. Then grill lamb chops and sausages over the same fire.

Tips

• Wear a bib; it's part of it.
• Blackened is right: the char comes off with the outer layer.
• Romesco is also great with grilled fish and chicken.

Chef Amazing's own home version of calçots with romesco, in our words; not any restaurant's recipe.