"Calçots!" I yipped with excitement.
My sister was immediately alert....
"Ohhhhhhhhh, let's have those for supper!"
A pause while I contemplated the work and mess involved in doing a calçotada indoors with a tiny oven and charcoal.
"Yeah! Let's do it!"
So we did. It took ages, made a huge mess, and was delicious.
Here's some photos.
Before ------
Befire --------
Ready to start eating --------
You sort of pull the soft middle out of the charred outside and dip it in a Romesco sauce. Mmmmmmmmm.
13 comments:
I have never heard of this. Is it Canadian, or Spanish, or somewhere in between?
I'm going to trust you that they taste good because they don't look too appetizing in that last picture. (I'm a bit of a fussy eater...)
Glad you're having fun with your sister!
I've not heard of them before, but hook me up because I'll try anything once! I ate all kinds of good stuff in Africa. It looks like a root of some kind. Does it taste like something else we might be familiar with? Glad your enjoying some quality time with your sister.
The looks scare me a little, too. I'll just take your word for it. In the meantime, I'm heading up to TO on Thurs. to spend the week. Any restaurants or bookstores you'd like to recommend?
I'm not familiar with those, but I'm guessing the insides are mellow after they're roasted? Like roasted peppers and garlic?
mmm - leeks?
I've only had them in cream sauce before, but roasted sounds pretty yummy too.
Jason, it's Catalan of course!!!
Beth, they are sooooooo good, and if you have ever roasted your own peppers on a grill, you learn to ignore the blackened outsides.
She...they are awesome, and very very Catalan, leeks could substitute, but it wouldn't be quite the same. Ideally you would cook them outside over the trimmings from the grape vines. They are onion family, and have a stronger flavour than a leek...
JG, Oh my goodness.
OK...our all time favourite place, Pho Hung on the west side of Spadina North of Dundas....if you look carefully, there is a sculpture of a cat sitting on a chair on top of quite a tall post outside the restaurant. Order pho, and the spring rolls are to die for, indeed it all is.
The Drake Hotel on Queen St West near Dufferin is pretty cool,
One of our favourite little neighbourhood restaurants with good food and a funky atmosphere is called the Gem, which is on Davenport Rd at Ossington...lord I miss that place. The Gem Carbonera is amazing.
Mmmmmmm,
There was a portugese place in the entrance to the St Lawrence market that did fantastic chicken sandwiches...amazingly good.
There is a montreal bagel place in there that is amazing too. The best bagels in town are on Bathurst above Lawrence, on the east side....oh goodness, lets see if I can figure out where...yes...it is just below Melrose....
What else, Book City is excellent though it doesn't look like much. They are good independent book stores. There is another one by the one near the university.
Adelard books on Queen just west of Spadina may still be there, it is a great used book store, there are a bunch on Harbourd street, some are specialised because they are near the University, there is She said Boom, on Ronscesvalles, and possibly a couple of new ones as well. There is The Tenth Edition on Spadina south of Bloor, again West side. I like that place, I hope it is still open. There are a lot of good places on Bloor West as well, and great Greek out on the Danforth. Ohh, you got me started.....that ought to get you started...let me know what you try out!
Hula, got it in one, they mellow, but maintain a good flavour, you pull the tender yummy bits out and off you go...
Trish, you could do that with leeks on the grill....they would be good indeed.
In the last picture they look very, hmm, interesting. I'll have to take your word for it, that they are edible! ;-)
In their non-charred state, they do look a lot like leeks. Do they taste similar? Stronger or milder?
Swenglish, they are very very edible, but you don't eat the charred bit...
Beth, yes, like leeks, but with more flavour...not strong, flavourful.
I was going to say a cross between leeks and green onions? Thus said, I am an adventurous soul, I would eat them in a heartbeat!!
I read the comments to find the answer to my question if they were the same as leeks. I am sure they would be delicious.
Carla they are amazing, especially with a good romesco sauce...
Dawn...they are seriously good.
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