A few summers ago, when Bill and I vacationed in Martha’s Vineyard, we had some of the best meals we’ve ever eaten. Our first night we ate at The Covington, which was a recommendation of a local gentleman we met at lunch. On the specials menu they had an appetizer of squash and beans with a creamy romesco sauce. Bill thought it sounded weird but we ordered it anyway and we cleaned the plate! I was in heaven. I’ve been wanting to recreate it ever since and I think I’ve come pretty close!
This recipe can stand alone as an appetizer or be used as a side dish. It’s great for summer because you can use the vegetables are are becoming abundant in home gardens and farmers markets.
Bell peppers are great for gut health because of their fiber and folate, plus they are a great source of potassium and vitamin A. A cup of zucchini will also fulfill 26% of your daily vitamin C needs, 10% of your daily potassium needs and 8% of your daily magnesium needs and 13% of your daily folate needs, per the FDA. Green beans are a good source of protein and fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and they help fight inflammation.
Squash & Green Beans with Romesco Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- Romesco Sauce:
- ½ cup almonds
- 1 12oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces green beans, washed and trimmed
- 2 small zucchini, cut in thirds, then into wedges
- 2 small yellow squash, cut in thirds, then into wedges
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the multi-use blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the peppers, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne, black pepper and salt and blend until smooth. Remove the sauce to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. Set aside.
- In a clean small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add one shallot and fry until golden brown, about 15 minutes. When golden, remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the green beans and and cook until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until the oil shimmers, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash and sauté 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, place half of the romesco sauce on a serving plate. Top with the green beans, squash and shallot. Sprinkle with the fried shallot and chives. Dollop remaining romesco sauce around the edge of the plate.
Notes
SHOP THE REST OF MY KITCHEN!
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