This Spanish Pasta with Romesco Sauce, known as Macarrones con Salsa Romesco, is possibly one of the BEST pasta dishes in the world.

Serves 4

spainonafork.com

INGREDIENTS
For thePasta:
3 cups vegetable broth (or any other broth)
8 oz penne pasta

For the Romesco Sauce:
8 raw hazelnuts
8 raw blanched almonds
3 large roasted red bell peppers jarred or canned
1/4 cup canned tomato paste
1 clove garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt
dash black pepper
1/4 cup grated manchego cheese
handful fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the hazelnuts and almonds, mix continuously, after 3 to 4 minutes and they´re lightly roasted, remove from the pan and set aside

Using the same pan, add in the broth, a pinch of sea salt and raise to a high heat

Meanwhile, add the jarred roasted red bell peppers into a food processor, along with the tomato paste, clove of garlic, the roasted hazelnuts and almonds, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt & black pepper, run the food processor for 1 to 2 minutes or until you end up with a thick and creamy sauce, set aside

Once the broth comes to a boil, add in the penne pasta, mix every 1 to 2 minutes, after 8 to 9 minutes and most of the broth has been absorbed, but there´s still some broth left, place a lid on the pan and lower to a low-medium heat, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente, then remove the lid and turn off the heat

Add in the romesco sauce into the pan and mix together until well mixed

Transfer into shallow bowls and sprinkle with a kiss of grated Manchego cheese and garnish with fresh parsley, serve at once

Sicilian eggplant caponata is one of the best ways to utilize eggplant. Caponata is a salty, sweet and sour appetizer, bursting with flavor. It’s perfect by itself, on top of toasted bread or crackers, or used as a topping for sandwiches.

Serves 6

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds eggplant
1 cup celery
1 cup red onion
1 cup pitted green olives
¼ cup pignoli nuts
¼ cup parsley
⅛ cup capers
¼ cup raisins
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425F and begin by cutting 2 pounds of eggplant into approximately 1″ cubes.

Place all the cut eggplant into a large glass bowl and toss with a ½ cup of olive oil, a tsp of kosher salt and a ½ tsp of black pepper. Use enough oil to coat all the pieces.

On a large baking sheet (line it with parchment paper to avoid sticking) spread out the eggplant. Keep the pieces from touching and if necessary use 2 sheet pans. Place the eggplant on the middle oven rack and roast for 25-30 minutes.

While the eggplant is roasting begin cutting 1 cup of celery into smallish pieces like shown.

Cut 1 cup of onion into half-moon strips. You can cut the onion and celery any way you want! Some people like a chunkier caponata while others prefer a smoother one.

Toast a ¼ cup of pignoli (pine) nuts in a separate pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or so. Be careful, they burn easily. When finished toasting, remove the nuts and set them aside.

In a large pan saute the onion and celery for a few minutes in a ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Again this is a preference/textural thing. If you like crunchy vegetables in your caponata only saute them for a minute or so.

Add in one 6-ounce can of tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes longer, spreading the paste all around the pan.

After 25-30 minutes the eggplant will be nicely roasted as shown. Use a fork and make sure they are soft on the inside and fully cooked. If not, another 5 minutes in the oven is fine.

To the pan add 1 cup of pitted good quality green olives, an ⅛ cup of rinsed capers, and a ¼ cup of raisins. Also, add 2 Tbsp of sugar and a ¼ cup of red wine vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.

Add in the eggplant and pine nuts and cook for 3 more minutes to ensure the caponata is well mixed. Be careful while mixing in the eggplant to avoid mashing it too much. A gentle stir with a wooden spoon is all that’s required.

Finally, add a ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley, give it one more stir, and a taste test. Adjust salt, pepper, and sugar if necessary. If satisfied, let it cool, then place it in a container and refrigerate.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

Zucchini – Add some zucchini to this caponata for a nice twist. Pan roast 2 cups of the same size pieces as the eggplant for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Peppers – Use 2 large bell peppers, cut up into bite-size chunks for added texture and flavor.

Carrots – Roast 1 cup of carrots with the eggplant for added flavor or just sear them in the pan with the onions and celery to introduce a crunchy texture.

Anchovies – It wouldn’t be Sicilian cooking without talking about this ingredient. Saute 3-4 chopped anchovies until they melt with the celery and onion.

Herbs – Mint and basil are excellent additions!

Burnt Spring Onion Risotto is a rich and creamy vegetarian dish that is brightened and cut with fiery sweetness and smoky flavors, thanks to charred spring onions and a fresh tomato salsa.

Serves 4

deliciousmagazine.co.uk

INGREDIENTS
Vegetable oil to fry
20g unsalted butter
5 garlic cloves
2 bunches spring onions
300g risotto rice
200ml white wine
700ml vegetable stock, warmed
100g cherry tomatoes
½ red chilli
½ red onion, separated into petals (see tips)
100g mascarpone
Juice ¼ lime
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp red wine vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a dash of oil and the butter in a medium saucepan. Finely slice 4 of the garlic cloves (leave the remaining one unpeeled) and half the spring onions. Add both to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the risotto rice to the pan, stir for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated/been absorbed by the rice. Add a ladle of warm stock, letting the rice absorb the stock before adding another and stirring regularly throughout.

Meanwhile, put a large frying pan over a high heat and add the second bunch of spring onions (halved to fit in the pan if needed) with a tiny drizzle of oil. Leave to fry undisturbed until charred black on one side. Turn them over and char on the other side, then set aside to cool. Add the cherry tomatoes, chilli, remaining unpeeled garlic clove and onion petals to the pan, then cook until blackened all over.

Roughly chop the charred spring onions and put in a blender or food processor with the mascarpone. Whizz until combined and quite smooth. Once the risotto is cooked, season with salt, pepper and the lime juice, then gently stir in the mascarpone. Put a lid on the pan and leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Peel the charred garlic clove, then whizz it up with the charred tomatoes, red onion petals, sugar and vinegar. Divide the risotto among bowls, adding a dollop of the smoky tomato salsa on top.

Note:
– To separate an onion into petals, you’ll need your half onion to be halved through the root. You then chop off the tip, peel the onion and separate the petal-like layers.

Tart cranberries and toasted walnuts add flavor and a crunch to this crowd-pleasing holiday side dish. Rustic hunks of toasted bread form the backbone of this stuffing; a buttery sauteed mixture of onion, celery, herbs, and cooked sausage fills it out with rich flavor. Simmering the cranberries first in vinegar and sugar both intensifies and rounds out their distinctive tartness. Serve this versatile side with roasted turkey, pork, or beef.

Serves 12

foodandwine.com

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 (1-pound) day-old rustic bread loaf, torn into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups sweetened dried cranberries (5 1/4 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 large (12 ounces) yellow onion, chopped (about 2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (from 4 large celery stalks)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced garlic (from 2 small garlic cloves)
¾ cup (6 ounces) dry white wine
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts, toasted
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 large eggs
3 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with butter; set aside. Spread bread pieces in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until light golden and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through bake time. Transfer bread to a large bowl; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.

While bread bakes, cook vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar, until mixture comes to a boil. Add cranberries and return to a simmer over medium-high. Remove from heat. Let stand until ready to use, about 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat using a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from skillet and set aside. Do not wipe skillet clean.

Add butter to skillet, and melt over medium-high. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook, undisturbed, until almost evaporated, about 1 minute, 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Drain rehydrated cranberries. Add drained cranberries, cooked sausage, onion mixture, walnuts, and parsley to bread in large bowl; toss to combine. Whisk together eggs, broth, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; toss thoroughly until bread soaks up all liquid.

Transfer stuffing mixture to prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake until stuffing top is light golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with additional parsley, and serve.

A popular street food in Argentina as well as Chile, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil, these grilled sausage sandwiches are easy to prepare on a grill—or an indoor grill pan with good ventilation.

Could dispense with the hero rolls and just have chorizo and chimichurri.

Serves 4

saveur.com

INGREDIENTS
For the choripán:
4 fresh chorizo sausages, Argentinian-style if possible
Four 6-inch hero rolls, split lengthwise, connected on one side like a hinge

For the chimichurri:
¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
¼ cup minced white onion
1 small garlic clove, grated on a microplane
¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the choripán: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat or a grill to medium heat. Add the chorizo and let cook, turning occasionally with tongs as needed, until the sides are deeply seared and the center is fully cooked through, 30–35 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the chimichurri: In a medium jar or bowl, add the parsley, onion, and garlic and stir briefly to combine. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and stir well. Let rest at least 15 minutes. (Chimichurri can be left out at room temperature for up to 12 hours before serving.)

If desired, briefly warm the insides of the rolls over the grill as desired. You can also split the sausages lengthwise if desired.

Place one cooked sausage into each roll. Slather one side of the roll and some of the sausage generously with chimichurri, and serve immediately.