Anchochilesauce Recipes

ANCHO CHILI SAUCE - RECIPE

Steps:

• Dry roast the ancho peppers on a hot pan about 1-2 minutes per side. The peppers will puff slightly and the skins will begin to turn red.
• Set them into a large pot of boiling water and remove from heat. Let them soak covered in water for 30 minutes.
• Remove the stems and coarsely chop the anchos. Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Set the chopped anchos into a food processor.
• Heat the oil in a pan to medium heat and add the onion. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
• Add the garlic and tomato and cook another minute or so, until you can smell the garlic. Add them to the food processor.
• Add the vinegar, cumin, oregano and a bit of salt and pepper along with about 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Process until it smooths out.
• The sauce will be thick at this point. You can add more soaking liquid to achieve your desired consistency.
• Give it a taste. You can adjust with salt and pepper and this point, and if you feel it needs a touch of sweetness, add the honey and process a bit more.
• Press the sauce through a coarse strainer into a bowl. I use a wooden spoon to push it through.
• Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
• As a tasty variation, add up to 15 ounces (1 can) of tomato sauce while cooking, or after you strain the ancho chili sauce to simmer. It makes for an outstanding final sauce. Or, swirl in anywhere from 1 tablespoon to a cup of the ancho chili sauce to tomato sauce to liven up any dish.

MEXICAN RED CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the chiles open and remove stem and seeds: Working on one chile at a time, use a paring knife to cut a slit all the way down one side of a chile. Open up the chile and remove the stem and seeds. Remove as much of the veins as you can. Reserve a few of the seeds or veins for adding later if you want added heat. Note when working with chiles, either wear protective gloves or wash your hands very thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling the chilies. Do not touch or rub your eyes if you have been handling chili peppers.
• Heat the chiles on a skillet: Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Flatten out the dried chiles as well as you can and place on the skillet to heat. Press down on the opened chiles and leave for a few seconds. Turn the chiles over and heat a few seconds more. You do not want to toast or burn the chiles! If they burn, they'll turn bitter. Just heat them enough to draw out more of their flavor.
• Soften the chiles in hot water: Add the chiles to a small saucepan and add enough water so that they are just covered. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, until the chiles have softened and plumped up. (OR place the chiles in a small saucepan and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes, until softened.)
• Purée with garlic, seasonings, water or poaching liquid: Remove the chiles from the pan, reserve the soaking water, and place the chiles in a blender. Add the garlic, salt, crushed peppercorns, ground cloves, and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid (taste the soaking water first, if it seems bitter, use plain water instead). Purée for 2 minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If you want more heat, add in a few of the seeds or veins and purée some more. Add more salt if needed.
• Strain through sieve into a skillet, simmer: Pour the sauce through a sieve into a skillet. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain the simmer, cook for 10 minutes. Skim off the foam. Remove from heat. Use immediately or pour into a glass jar (plastic will get stained) and refrigerate.

ANCHO CHILE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Hydrate dried peppers. Place the dried chiles in a medium-sized sauce pot and add just enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and then cover the pot and and turn off the heat. Let the chiles hydrate in the hot water until they're soft, at least 20 minutes.
• Prep peppers. Remove the chiles from the pot. Use your hands or a paring knife to gently remove the stems and seeds. Add the hydrated chiles to the blender. (If you're very sensitive to the heat, I suggest wearing cooking gloves.) Remove 1 cup of the hydrating liquid from the pot and pour it in the blender. (Do not throw out remaining liquid as you can use it as a stock in other recipes.)
• Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend. Add the stock, sugar, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to the blender. Purée in the blender until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Season to taste with salt and sugar if necessary. (Here's how.)
• Use or store. Stir in the oil and it's ready to use. Or, pour the sauce into a storage container with a tight sealing lid, and place in the refrigerator, where it should keep for at least 3 weeks.

VERMICELLI WITH ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a nonreactive medium saucepan, cover the chiles with water and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let soak until soft, 5 more minutes. Drain, setting aside 1/2 cup of the chile liquid. Pour 1/4 cup of the chicken stock into a blender, add the cloves, garlic and cumin seeds and blend until smooth. Season with salt. Add 1/2 cup more of the stock, the 1/2 cup chile liquid and the drained chiles, a few at a time, and blend until smooth. Add more stock if necessary.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the pasta and fry turning until it has turned a deep golden color, about 3 minutes (keep nests intact). Strain off excess oil. Add the blended sauce to the pasta in the skillet and fry over moderate heat for about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Cover and cook over low heat, adding the remaining stock a little at a time to prevent sticking, until the pasta is just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cheese and green onion slices. Serve with the avocado slices and lime.

ANCHO-RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the ancho pods in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes, then remove the stems and seeds and coarsely chop. Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, peppers and ancho chiles and cook until the tomatoes soften and break down and the liquid thickens, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Let cool for about and carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, to taste, and cilantro and pulse a few times just to combine. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

SHORT RIBS BRAISED IN ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Soak ancho chiles in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl. Taste soaking liquid: It will be a little bitter, but if unpleasantly so, discard it; otherwise, reserve for braising. Transfer ancho chiles to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Pat ribs dry and sprinkle with pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown ribs in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer as browned to a roasting pan just large enough to hold ribs in 1 layer.
• Carefully add chile purée to fat remaining in skillet (it will spatter and steam) and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add reserved chile soaking liquid (or 1 1/2 cups water) and coffee and bring to a boil, then pour over ribs (liquid should reach about halfway up sides of meat).
• Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and braise ribs until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Skim fat from pan juices. Serve ribs with pan juices.

INSTANT-POT ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the chiles:
• Pull or cut off the stems from the chiles and remove as many seeds as possible. Put the chiles in the Instant Pot. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after handling the chiles.
• Pressure cook:
• Add the garlic, water, salt, sugar, oregano, and cumin to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid into place. Select Manual; adjust the pressure to High and the time to 8 minutes. After cooking, naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Finish the sauce:
• Pour the sauce into a blender. Add the vinegar and blend until smooth, being careful to hold the lid on. Use immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place chile in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover; let soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid.
• Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste; stir 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add wine and softened chile; simmer 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons reserved chile soaking liquid, ketchup and all remaining ingredients. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Puree sauce in blender, adding more reserved soaking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. May be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill.

ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place chile in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover; let soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid.
• Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste; stir 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add wine and softened chile; simmer 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons reserved chile soaking liquid, ketchup, and all remaining ingredients. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Puree sauce in blender, adding more reserved soaking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• * Available at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.