I was reading an email article from Tasting Table about Salvitxada and it sounded scrumptious. So I set off on an internet search for other recipes. Catalan Salbitxada sauce is eaten with “calcots”, a special kind of green onion from Cataluna. Char-grilled green onions with Salbitxada sauce make both a good “tapa” and side dish for spring and summer. Tasty and easy to make, try this sauce with all types of grilled vegetables, not just onions. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, a food processor makes this sauce a snap.
Here is the recipe I came up with for us and what’s left – it was scrumptious!
SALVITXADA ala Tamy Makes 2 1/2 cups
4 tablespoons blanched almonds, toasted and ground to a fine coarse
4 fresh mild hot peppers, (membranes and seeds removed) finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons blood orange vinegar*
3/4 cup canola oil**
salt and pepper to taste
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place almonds in hot oven to toast for 5-7 minutes.
- Place in a food processor or mortar and pestle and coarsely grind.
- Peel and dice tomatoes and set aside.
- Finely chop the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes.
- Peel and finely mince the garlic.
- Mash ground almonds, peppers and garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.
- Mix in tomatoes, parsley and vinegar.
- Pulsing the food processor, drizzle in the canola oil until sauce becomes thick.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with grilled “calcots” (green onions) and/or chips and other grilled vegetables.
*Most recipes call for red wine vinegar, but I changed it for flavor alone.
**Most recipes called for olive oil, but I am not an olive lover – I even hate the smell so I changed it up for us.
Have you ever tried the extra light olive oil? That’s my favorite of all oils – I’m not a big fan of the good old EVOO either.
I’ve never heard of that vinegar before. And I never knew you didn’t like olive oil. Learn something new every day! LOL