Salsa de Chile Rojo – Basic Red Chile Sauce
- Number of Servings: 16
Ingredients
6 guajillo chiles* (about 1 ½ ounces)4 large ancho chiles (about 3 ounces)2 teaspoons vegetable oil½ medium onion, chopped2 medium garlic cloves, chopped1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican variety preferred), crumbled½ teaspoon ground cumin2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped¾ -teaspoon salt, or to taste*Guajillo chiles Spanish name: Guajillo [gwa=HEE-yoh] Guajillo dried chiles, a must for the Mexican pantry. This sweet, thick fleshed chile is used in salsas, chile sauces, soups and stews. Guajillo chiles are available whole, dried or ground.
1. Wipe the chiles with damp paper towels. With scissors, cut off the tops and cut each chile lengthwise in half. Remove the seeds and veins. On a comal or in a dry skillet toast the chiles about 3 seconds on each side, holding them down with a wide spatula until barely blistered and aromatic. Do not burn or they will become bitter. Submerge the chiles in a bowl of hot water, and soak about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat and cook the onion and garlic slowly until they start to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the oregano and cumin and immediately transfer to a blender. Add the tomatoes to the blender. With tongs, lift the chiles from the soaking water and put them in the blender. Taste the chile water. If it has a pleasant taste and is not bitter, add ½ cup chile water to the blender, along with ¼ cup of water. (If it is bitter, discard the chile water and add 3/4 cup of water.) Blend the mixture 1 minute or until the sauce is as smooth as possible, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as needed. Pour the sauce through a strainer or a food mill into a medium bowl. Discard remaining bits of tough skin and seeds.
3. Transfer the pureed chile sauce to a saucepan and simmer the sauce 15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely cooked and flavors are blended. The sauce is ready to use, or cover and refrigerate for 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Serving Size: Makes about 2 cups or eight ¼ cup serving
Number of Servings: 16
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CHUCKLES0719.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat and cook the onion and garlic slowly until they start to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the oregano and cumin and immediately transfer to a blender. Add the tomatoes to the blender. With tongs, lift the chiles from the soaking water and put them in the blender. Taste the chile water. If it has a pleasant taste and is not bitter, add ½ cup chile water to the blender, along with ¼ cup of water. (If it is bitter, discard the chile water and add 3/4 cup of water.) Blend the mixture 1 minute or until the sauce is as smooth as possible, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as needed. Pour the sauce through a strainer or a food mill into a medium bowl. Discard remaining bits of tough skin and seeds.
3. Transfer the pureed chile sauce to a saucepan and simmer the sauce 15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely cooked and flavors are blended. The sauce is ready to use, or cover and refrigerate for 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Serving Size: Makes about 2 cups or eight ¼ cup serving
Number of Servings: 16
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CHUCKLES0719.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 38.5
- Total Fat: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
- Sodium: 128.3 mg
- Total Carbs: 5.7 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
Member Reviews