Sliced Potatoes with Romesco Sauce

Ingredients:


1  medium plum tomato (about 1/4 pound), cored and quartered


16   whole almonds, toasted


1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jarred roasted red pepper


2  small cloves garlic


1/8 teaspoon cayenne


Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar


4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


3/4 pound small red potatoes (1 to 2 inches in diameter), rinsed and dried


Finely grated zest of 2 medium lemons


1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:


Set a rack in the top third of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees F.


Put the tomato, almonds, roasted red pepper, garlic, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a food processor. 


Process, scraping the bowl as needed, until the mixture is somewhat smooth, about 1 minute. 


Add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and process until well incorporated. Taste and add more salt if needed.


Trim the ends off of each potato and cut the potatoes crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices. 


In a bowl, toss the potatoes with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt to coat well.


Lay the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.


Roast the potatoes, turning the slices with a spatula and rotating the baking sheet halfway through roasting, until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. 


Let the potatoes cool slightly.


To serve:


Arrange the potato slices on a serving platter; blot with a paper towel if they look oily. Top each slice with a generous 1/4 teaspoon of the romesco sauce (you may not use all the sauce). Garnish each hors d'oeuvre with a tiny pinch of lemon zest and a parsley leaf.


Tips:


The sauce can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. Before using, bring it to room temperature and stir well.

Shared by Mary Ann Hartley