Dueling Trail Mix Romesco
Makes about 1 pint
For this recipe, I started with my traditional Romesco recipe, substituting trail mix for the plain almonds, as well as adding chipotle seasoning. The fruit and chocolate, combined with the chipotle, make this sort of a Mole/Romesco hybrid. I like to serve croquettes on top of this, or toss vegetables with it. It’s a great burst of flavor for many different items. The recipe was developed as part of a challenge to create interesting dishes using as many shelf-stable ingredients as possible. It will was served as a component in a dinner to benefit our local food pantry.
3 oz Olive Oil, preferably Spanish
½ Cup Trail Mix (Mine was a combo of 2, including Peanuts, Cashews, Almonds, Raisins, Bananas, Cranberries, Pineapple and M&Ms)
2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
1 T Smoked Sweet Paprika
¾ tsp Chipotle Seasoning (I used the blend from RC Fine Foods)
8 oz Roasted Red Pepper, Canned
2 T Tomato Paste
2 tsp Pancake Syrup
1 T Sherry Vinegar
2 T Italian Parsley, Chopped
1. Put oil, trail mix and garlic into a small sauté pan. Heat on medium for 2 minutes, occasionally stirring.
2. Add paprika and chipotle seasoning. Stir for an additional 2 minutes until the nuts are beginning to brown. Don’t worry if the chocolate begins to melt in the pan.
3. Remove from heat and put mixture into a food processor. Blend on med speed until nuts and fruit are well chopped. Add all remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 1 minute.
4. Scrape into a container and chill in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. The mixture is a bit loose when you’re done. Putting it in the fridge lets the chocolate and oil tighten it up, as well as giving the sauce time for the flavors to marry. To serve, slightly reheat in a sauté pan.
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