Almond-anchovy mole

What really completes a dish? The sauce. And with a veggie barbecue on a warm day, naturally a cold sauce. Which you can then make as hot as you like.

Like this almond and anchovy mole. A mole is a Mexican sauce based on, among other things, chilli and a type of nut, in this case almonds. The anchovies give the sauce the kick that goes perfectly with, for example, a roasted cauliflower (steak) cooked in a (wood-fired) oven or on the barbecue. But the great secret of this rich, creamy sauce is the butter.

Preparation

Toast the almonds in a small dry frying pan until they turn brown. Shake the pan regularly. Leave to cool.

Soak the anchovy fillets in cold water for five minutes, rinse them and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

Blend the almonds, anchovies, garlic and butter into a smooth sauce. For an even more refined flavour, roast a few garlic cloves in their skins alongside the cauliflower for about 45 minutes, then squeeze the now-puréed garlic out of the skins and blend it into the mole.

Run the blender on the lowest setting while gradually adding the oil and vinegar.

Add the herbs. Finally, add chilli flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with, for example, roasted cauliflower.

Recipe adapted from: Julia Hoskin, The New York Times.