Burnt chilli romesco with charred spring onions

Ingredients:

spring onions / larger continental salad onions (or a mix), a large handful
whole almonds, 1/2 cup (plus a few extra)
roasted red peppers, around four from a jar
whole skin on garlic clove
whole red chilli
olive oil, 4-6 tbs or so
sherry vinegar, 1tbs or so
sweet paprika, half tsp
a few chipotle chilli flakes (or the more traditional smoked paprika)

Method:

– Cook the spring onions / salad onions, garlic clove, and whole chilli in a hot dry pan till nicely charred, wilted down and blackened in places
– Set aside the onions
– Place the chilli in a small food processor and deseeding it and removing the seeds if you don’t want too much heat
– Skin the garlic clove and place this in the food processor too, followed by the almonds, peppers, oil, vinegar, paprika and chiili and some seasoning and pulse to get a nicely textured sauce
– Taste and adjust seasoning and then pour the romesco sauce onto a wide platter and shake to spread it out
– Scatter the charred onions over the top of the romesco followed by a few chopped almonds and a pinch or two of paprika
– Serve immediately as a sharing starter or as an accompaniment to roast meat or fish
– The romesco will also store well in the fridge in an airtight jar covered with a film of oil for up to a week