Recipe | Cabbage wedges, romesco sauce & crispy pancetta

I’ve been addicted to romesco sauce ever since I spent time living in Barcelona as a student, so I was delighted when Kym from Bristol-based food blog On the Plate decided to feature it in the latest post of our ongoing recipe series.

Originating from Catalonia, romesco is a deliciously thick concoction made from almonds, red peppers and tomatoes. Kym’s version is quick and easy to make and works with all sorts of things.  This recipe uses cabbage (wonderfully crispy roasted cabbage, not the stodgy, boiled-until-devoid-of-flavour variety), but you could also try potato wedges, asparagus, chicken, white fish or prawns. Serve the dish on its own as a starter or light meal, or include it in a larger tapas spread – perfect for an easy Easter feast!

Ingredients (serves 4 as a small plate / light dish)

For the romesco sauce: 

• 460g jar of roasted peppers
• 1 slice of stale sourdough
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 60g almonds
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 garlic clove

For the cabbage wedges:

• 1 firm whole savoy cabbage
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• olive oil
• 160g smoked pancetta cubes to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut four equal slices through the centre of the core (this will hold them together as they roast).
2. Drizzle each slice with oil, season well and sprinkle with the fennel seeds. Roast for 20 minutes, carefully turning over each slice with a spatula halfway through cooking.
3. While the cabbage is roasting, get the romesco sauce on the go. Dry-toast the almonds and then blitz together in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Keep some texture to the sauce – you don’t want it completely smooth.
4. Fry the pancetta cubes in a little oil until crispy.
5. When the cabbage wedges are done, serve up with the romesco sauce and crispy pancetta, plus some extra almonds if you like. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon and parsley if you’re feeling fancy!

I’ll share another delicious recipe from Kym next month, but in the meantime do take a look at On the Plate for more food inspiration.

Photography by Kym Grimshaw