Red chile sauce

My grandparents lived in New Mexico for many years, where the infamous chile reigns supreme. Of course, when they were still alive and living in New Mexico, my chile taste buds hadn’t really come in yet.

This recipe pays tribute to those years they lived in Albuquerque, and the awesome New Mexico chiles you can find pretty widely available in the United States. I had the good fortune of spending some time in New Mexico for work a few years back and loved trying all the New Mexican chiles—so tasty! You can always make this sauce spicier, or get creative and add a host of other hot/dried peppers to see what you come up with. Use this sauce for our Chicken Enchiladas (recipe here).

10–12 dried red New Mexico chiles (found at most Latin markets)
4 cups (1 L) boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
~ salt to taste

1. Rinse chiles and split to remove seeds. Place chiles on a sheet pan and bake for 10–15 minutes in a 275°F (135°C) oven (you should be able to smell the chiles—but do not burn them!).
2. Remove the stems from the chiles, place them in a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over. Allow them to sit for 5–10 minutes to soften them, then drain, reserving liquid.
3. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add in the onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Add the chiles, about 3 cups (750 mL) of the water, oregano, vinegar, and cumin and simmer for 10–12 minutes.
4. Place the mixture in a food processor or blender and puree.
5. Strain the mixture through a coarse sieve. If the sauce is too thin, return contents back to sauce pan and reduce longer. If sauce is too thick, add more of the reserved soaking liquid.
6. Refrigerate until ready to use/serve.

Variation—Definitely take a trip to your local Mexican grocer and get adventurous with some of the dried chiles! Guajillos, chile de Arbol, cascabel, California, ancho, mulato, pasilla . . . there are so many to choose from!

Tips & Tricks—Always use caution when combining hot ingredients in a food processor or blender. Oftentimes pressure will build up, causing the liquid to essentially explode. You do not want red chile sauce all over your kitchen . . . trust me!