Pimenton, or smoked paprika, is like truffle oil: It’s one of those ingredients that when you first discover it, you’re tempted to put into absolutely everything you prepare. Like truffle oil, the gourmet cook’s MSG, pimenton has the mysterious ability to add depth of flavor to whatever it seasons.
Pimenton has a flavor that is at once sweet, mildly spicy and smoky. The best pimenton comes from La Vera, a valley in southwestern Spain. The chiles — long, slender pimentos — are smoke-dried over hot logs, then ground into a powder. The powder usually comes two or three degrees of spiciness (mild, medium hot and hot, which is still milder than the mildest cayenne), of which I prefer the hottest.
At New York’s Casa Mono, the finest Spanish restaurant in America, pimenton is used in a casserole of duck hearts with chorizo-oil-infused bread crumbs; in a transcendent dish of mussels with cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and chorizo; with skirt steak and caramelized onions; with roasted potatoes; even in the savory spiced nuts that garnish a sundae made with candied squash and Spanish brandy.
I never particularly liked Romesco sauce, a condiment made with the quintessentially Spanish combination of peppers, garlic, almonds, bread and sherry vinegar, until I tried making it with pimenton. The pimenton seemed to add another dimension to a sauce I had previously found to be a little harsh and acidic. Romesco is especially good now, at the height of the local pepper season, and is great with shellfish, especially shrimp, and skirt steak, grilled lamb or roasted vegetables.
John Broening cooks at Duo Restaurant, .
Romesco sauce
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
4 red bell peppers
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked paprika), hot
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Place the peppers directly on an open flame, turning occasionally until they are evenly blackened. Place in plastic bag (or in a mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap) for at least 10 minutes.
Remove the peppers and scrape off the charred skins with a paring knife. Pull out the stems, and open the peppers and scrape out the seeds and ribs. Set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, tossing frequently, until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Remove the almonds to a dish to stop the cooking.
Place the peppers and olive oil in a food processor. Mix until oil is incorporated and peppers are lightly chopped. Pulse in remaining ingredients; the mixture should still be fairly coarse.
Refrigerate until ready for use.
