Grilled Cod With Romesco Sauce

We wouldn’t say no to grilled burgers or hot dogs, but we think grilled fish is a pretty unbeatable summertime dinner too. We’ve fired up our grills to make halibut with mango salsa, shrimp skewers with a spicy-sweet marinade, citrusy whole snapper, mahi mahi tacos with pineapple salsa, and more. Inspiration for this quick and easy recipe comes from the Catalan province of Tarragona in Spain. Nutty, smoky romesco sauce was originally created to serve alongside the region’s abundant seafood, so it goes together with this grilled cod like peanut butter goes with jelly but, you know, fancier. Read on for tips on how to make it:

The romesco:
What goes into this classic Spanish sauce? Romesco’s ingredients vary but often includes tomatoes, garlic, toasted nuts, oil, and Spanish ñora chiles. This version uses pantry staples like roasted red peppers, a little tomato paste, smoked paprika, olive oil, and fresh garlic. Roasted hazelnuts add a rich, nutty flavor, but roasted unsalted cashews or almonds would work well too. Our romesco yields a generous 1 1/2 cups sauce, enough to serve with the cod and still have leftovers to toss with grilled vegetables or spread on grilled chicken.

The fish:
Thick cod fillets cook quickly on the grill, and this delicious, flaky fish is the perfect accompaniment for the romesco (salmon or halibut would be good too). To get a good char on the fish and keep it from sticking, let the grill grates get really hot. Next, soak a rag or paper towel in vegetable oil and use it to grease the grill a few times.

Storage:
The romesco sauce can be kept in the freezer for 5 to 7 days and can be frozen for 2 months.

Serve this recipe with crusty bread and a crisp white wine, then let us know what you think in the comments!