One herald of fall’s cooler weather in northern New Mexico is the ristra—the strings of ripe, red chiles that hang outside to dry alongside doorways and against brown adobe walls. Once dried, the chiles are stored to use throughout the winter in sauces like this one. This recipe is a classic New Mexican red chile sauce and the perfect stage for a whole range of Southwestern foods or as a base for other, more complex sauces from barbecue sauce to moles to stews.
Ingredients
makes 4 cups
Step 1
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until brown and caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 2
In a blender, add the onion, tomatoes, chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt. If the reserved chile water is not bitter, add 1 cup of it to the blender; otherwise, add 1 cup plain water. Puree to a fine paste; add a little more chile water or plain water if necessary.
Step 3
In large, heavy nonstick skillet, heat the peanut oil over high heat until just smoking. Refry the sauce at a sizzle, stirring constantly, until it coats a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow the sauce to become too thick; add more liquid if necessary.
Step 4
The sauce keeps in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 days; it also freezes well.
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