Garlicky Aubergine Steaks With Romesco Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• For the romesco sauce: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Cut off the top of the garlic just to expose the tips of the cloves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until the cloves are golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Open the foil and allow the garlic to cool until cool enough to handle, then scoop the cloves out using a fork or knife or squeeze the whole head with your hand, turning it upside down to release the cloves into a small bowl.
• Puree the bread, roasted peppers, almonds, vinegar, dill, parsley, basil, anchovies, tomato and roasted garlic pulp in a blender on high speed, just blending enough so that there is still some texture to the sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
• For the hanger steaks: Preheat a grill on high heat.
• Combine the chile powder, garlic powder, pepper and seafood seasoning in a small bowl. Sprinkle the steaks on all sides with salt, then rub with the spice mixture. Grill the hanger steak on all sides, rotating so the char is even, about 10 minutes for an internal temperature of 125 degrees F or medium-rare. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes.
• Carve the steaks by cutting large pieces against the grain. Serve with a squeeze of lime and the romesco sauce.

Steps:

• To prepare the steak, using paper towels, pat the steak dry and place in a large bowl; slather the garlic paste and olive oil all over the meat, turning to coat. Add the onions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• To make the romesco sauce, grind the peanuts in a food processor. Add the roasted peppers, tomato puree, garlic, bread, and paprika. Process into a paste. Add the vinegar and pulse to blend. With the motor running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream until the mixture thickens like mayonnaise. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and then transfer to a serving bowl.
• When ready to grill the steak, scrape any excess garlic off the beef and discard. If using a charcoal grill, prepare the fire using about 6 pounds of charcoal and burn until the coals are completely covered with a thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread the coals evenly over the grill bottom, position the grill rack above the coals, and heat until medium-hot (when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill surface for no longer than 3 or 4 seconds). If using a gas grill, turn all the burners to High, close the lid, and heat until about 500 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a grill pan, heat the pan over medium-high heat.
• Cut the steak into one or more pieces if it is very large. Grill the meat and onions over direct heat until char lines appear, the meat is done to taste, and the onions are tender and charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (A vegetable basket will help keep the onions from falling through the grates if you're cooking over a gas or charcoal grill.) Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing it across the grain. Serve the steak and onions with the romesco sauce on the side.
• Cook's Note: To prepare the garlic paste, place the unpeeled garlic on a cutting board, broad-side down, set the flat side of a chef's knife on top, and give the knife a quick whack with the palm of your hand to crush each clove. Remove the papery skin and trim away the tough basal plane at the end of the clove. Halve the garlic and remove any of the green shoot, if present, as it is bitter. Coarsely chop the garlic, then sprinkle it with a pinch of coarse salt. (The salt acts as an abrasive and helps grind the garlic.) Using the side of the knife like an artist's palette knife, press firmly on the cutting board and crush the garlic a little at a time. Repeat until the garlic is a fine paste.

Steps:

• Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan for 3-4 mins until starting to turn golden and smelling toasted. Shake the pan often to turn them. Tip out and leave to cool.
• Drain the red peppers and tip into a food processor with the almonds, garlic, vinegar and smoked paprika, then blitz to a chunky paste.
• With the motor still on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to make a dip. A bit of texture works well for this rather than blending to a super smooth consistency. Season well, adding a little more vinegar, if you like.