I'm On This Southwestern Thing (Red Chile Sauce)

We have a Southwestern cooking thing going on over here at Fresh Fun Foods.  Maybe it is the end of the brutal winter or the beginning of training season for the Margarita Decathlon, I don’t know, but this style of cooking is appealing to me and the family for its interesting ingredients and bright flavors.  In the past I’ve posted recipes for Cactus Tacos and Salsa Verde.  You can use the pickle recipe to make brined jalapeños to sprinkle on your nachos or fry with eggs.  Chile Powder is also up on the blog and a few folks have gotten back to me saying that they will be making their own from now on.  Good.  The home made stuff is really more interesting than commercial chile powder. 

“Red or Green” is the usual question that the server asks when you are ordering enchiladas or huevos rancheros.  These sauces are made in house, often to a traditional, individualistic recipe.  The combination of chilies can be varied.  I’m using pasilla, guajillo and anchos to get moderate heat with plenty of aromatics.  Most shopping areas, even out here in the Philly suburbs, have a bodega or two that sell a wide variety of dried chilies and all the other stuff you need to make Southwestern food.  The following recipe is a quick red chile sauce, perfect to make in batches, it’ll keep for a week in the refrigerator.  I spoon it over eggs and tortillas or bake it with chicken enchiladas.  I know people who line the inside of a glass with chile sauce before filling it up with ice and tequila.  I like those people.

Here’s how to do it.

Assemble a selection of 15 dried chilies.  These are, left to right, pasilla, guajillo and ancho.

Remove the stems.  Rinse the chilies in a colander.  You can remove the seeds.  If you do, the finished sauce will be mild.  I prefer a hot sauce, so I leave them in.  

 

 Put the rinsed chilies in a small stockpot.  Cover them with 4 cups of cold water.  Add 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper and 1 tsp. kosher salt.  Turn on high heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the chilies simmer, make a roux with heat 1 tbs. of oil and 1 tbs. of flour.  When heated the roux should be as thick as peanut butter. 

 Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly for five minutes, until it browns slightly.

 After 15 minutes, the chilies will have soaked up much of the liquid. 

 Add the roux and 1 tbs. cumin powder to the chilies.  Stir to combine.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.

 

Remove the pot from the heat.   Puree with a hand blender. 

If you want a smooth sauce, run it through a strainer.