Steamed Shrimp with Romesco Sauce
Bon Appetit April 1988

"A simplified version of a popular Spanish tapa, ideal with drinks.
Spanish cooks would poach the shrimp in a wine-flavored broth;
in my recipe [Richard Sax] they're steamed over beer. The romesco
sauce also has a personal adaptation; native renditions often con-
tain dried hot or sweet peppers."

Shrimp:
One 12-ounce bottle beer
2 tablespoons Crab Boil Seasoning
1 medium garlic clove, bruised and peeled
One 1/2-inch-thick slice lemon
1 1/2 pounds uncooked, unpeeled large shrimp

Romesco Sauce:
1 large red bell pepper
4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
Olive oil
3/4 cup blanched almonds (about 4 ounces) toasted
3 drained canned Italian plum tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons (or more) red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs such as parsley,
snipped chives and/or mint
Additional snipped fresh chives

For shrimp: Combine beer, Crab Boil Seasoning, garlic and lemon
slice in bottom of steamer. Cover and bring to boil. Place shrimp on
steamer rack. Cover tightly and steam until shrimp are just opaque,
turning once, about 3 minutes. Cool shrimp completely. Peel and
devein, leaving tails intact. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
For sauce: Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil. Arrange pepper
and garlic on prepared sheet. Rub pepper and garlic with oil and broil
until garlic is browned on both sides, about 10 minutes, and peppers
are blackened on all sides, about 15 minutes. Wrap foil on sheet up
and over peppers and garlic. Wrap foil on sheet up and over peppers
and garlic. Cool completely. Core, peel seed and coarsely chop pepper.
Peel garlic. Coarsely purée pepper, garlic, almonds and tomatoes in
processor or blender. With machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup
oil in thin steady stream. Blend in 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar and lemon
juice. Transfer sauce to serving bowl. Season with salt, pepper and
cayenne. Mix in herbs. Cover and let stand at room temperature at
least 30 minutes. Taste, adding more vinegar if more assertive sauce
is desired. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Bring to room temperature before serving.) 4 servings.