Mayo? Meh. Ketchup? Too casual. Sriracha? So mid-2010s. Your condiment game may seem bleak, but thankfully, Canary is here to sing us a new sauce.

Mark Dandurand is the chef at Canary — at 3835 Main St. Aside from serving scenic views, the rooftop lounge + restaurant dishes out “New American” meals, putting twists on classic concepts.

Today, we’re sharing chef Mark’s romesco sauce. The traditional tomato + red pepper condiment is delicious with seafood, breakfast sandwiches, and chicken. Canary serves it on its Octopus carpaccio with Local Pig Chorizo Verde. This version avoids gluten and nut allergies.

“I picked this recipe because of its versatility, simplicity, and accessibility [...] It's a great condiment to have in the fridge and often isn't seen pre-made in stores,” Mark said.

Chef Mark has been with Canary since it opened in 2021. | Photo via Mark.

Ingredients

5 roasted red peppers, seeded and peeled
1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup Champagne vinegar
1 Tbsp red chili powder
½ tsp jalapeno powder
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cup vegetable oil

*Canned roasted red peppers can be substituted for fresh. Roughly 25-30 oz

Instructions

Combine all except vegetable oil in a blender. Start low and bring up to full blend.
Slowly stream in vegetable oil.
Puree until smooth.

“We are able to source locally and keep our creativity going by utilizing our area farmers and butchers for much of our produce and meat,” Mark said.

Other recipes

Chewology chef Katie Liu-Sung’s recipe for Taiwanese pearl meatballs

Recipe: Strang Hall chef Brett DeHart’s Ajo Blanco salad + fish

Recipe: Cherry pico de gallo from Kansas City’s The Peacock