Recipe: Grilled Shellfish with Romesco Sauce (Mariscada A La Plancha Con Salsa Romescu)

Grilled Shellfish with Romesco Sauce (Mariscada A La Plancha Con Salsa Romescu)
Servings 6

450g/1 lb small squid or octopus, cleaned
olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
450g/1 lb large uncooked, unpeeled prawns
coarse salt
18 clams or cockles, cleaned
18 large mussels, cleaned
finely chopped parsley, to garnish

SALSA ROMESCU:
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1-2 long fresh red chilli peppers, seeded
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons dry white wine
70g/2-1/2 oz whole blanched almonds, toasted
1 canned pimiento or 1 roasted red pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the squid bodies and tentacles or the octopus in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic. Mix well and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the prawns with salt. FOR THE SALSA ROMESCU: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for a few more seconds. Add the tomatoes, chilli peppers to taste, water and wine. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Process the almonds in a food processor until ground. Add the pimiento and tomato mixture and puree. Gradually pour in the remaining olive oil and vinegar, season to taste and process until the mixture has the consistency of a thick sauce. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Heat a barbecue hotplate or large heavy frying pan and brush with oil. Add all the seafood and cook quickly, turning the squid and prawns, and constantly basting with olive oil. Remove the squid and prawns to a large heated platter after about 3-4 minutes-the prawns should be cooked until just pink. When the clams or cockles have opened remove them to the platter, discarding any that remain shut. Sprinkle the seafood with parsley and serve immediately with romesco sauce.