Red peppers, tomatoes, almonds and garlic form the base of romesco, a classic Spanish sauce from Catalonia. Here it's embellished with cocoa nibs, small pieces of husked roasted cocoa beans. They have all the earthy flavor of eating chocolate without the sweetness. Healthy Grilling Recipes
How to Make It
In a large, shallow glass or ceramic dish, stir the tequila with the sugar. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the almonds and hazelnuts in separate pie plates and roast for 8 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer the hot hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and rub together to remove the skins. Let cool, then coarsely chop the hazelnuts and almonds.
Roast the pepper over a gas flame or under the broiler, turning, until charred all over. Transfer the pepper to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and steam for 5 minutes. Peel the pepper and discard the stem and seeds. Strain any accumulated juices into a bowl. Coarsely chop the pepper and transfer it to the bowl.
In a food processor, combine the almonds, hazelnuts, roasted pepper, cocoa nibs, tomato, garlic, vinegar, masa harina, lemon juice, salt and crushed red pepper. Process to a fine paste. With the machine on, slowly add the olive oil to form a thick sauce. Scrape the romesco sauce into a bowl and season with salt.
Light a grill. Season the shrimp with salt and grill over a hot fire for about 2 minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Serve the shrimp hot, with the romesco sauce alongside for dipping.
Make Ahead
Notes
Cocoa nibs are available from specialty food stores and from Scharffen Berger (866) 972-6879) or Chocolates El Rey (800-357-3999).