Grilled Calcots

According to folklore, a 19th-century Catalan farmer was experimenting in his fields when he discovered a new type of longer, juicier green onion, the calçot. The farmer created much more than a new food when he invented the onion; he also laid the ground for the creation of a unique, particularly Catalan cultural event. Calçots are not something that is hastily prepared and then stored in Tupperware for later consumption at work. Rather, they are part of a traditional winter ritual, the calçotada, which gathers family and friends around the table to devour the onions.

The most common way to prepare calçots is to grill them over an open flame. Rather than completely cleaning the onions, leave some soil on their surface to protect their outer skin. The calçots are grilled directly over the flames until the outside is fully black. (Don't worry; the nicest part - the interior - will still be white and pristine.) They're usually served wrapped in newspaper to keep them warm and eaten off curved terracotta roof tiles. Calçots must be eaten with your fingers; the trick is to grasp them by the green leaves with one hand while pulling off the charred and blackened outer layer of skin with the other. The soft and juicy inner bulb is then dipped in salsa romesco, a Tarragona-style sauce consisting of dried red peppers, nuts (typically hazelnuts and almonds), garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Finally, the calçot is ready for consumption!

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of scallions, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, ⅓ cup romesco sauce

Instructions

• Rinse the scallions, cut off the dead and brown greens, chop off the roots, pull off the dirty outer layer from the bulbs, and sprinkle them lightly with salt, pepper, and olive oil in that order.
• Preheat the grill in a 2-zone configuration. Align the grill grates so that you can place the bulbs directly over the hot side, and the greens over the indirect zone, without them falling through. Leave the lid open and stand by the grill, rolling the onions around and letting them char a bit but not blacken too much. The greens should toast nicely, but if they don't get crispy, you can flip the greens over the direct heat for a minute or two.
• Enjoy the grilled calçots with a bowl of romesco sauce for dipping. Wash it down with Catalan wine.