Cascabel Chile Sauce Recipes

CASCABEL SALSA

Steps:

• Break the peppers into pieces for a better roasting. Slightly roast the peppers on a medium hot griddle, turning the peppers to have an even roasting. Turn frequently to avoid burning the peppers. This step will take about 1-2 minutes.
• Once you roast the peppers, place them in a small saucepan with 2 cups of hot water to soak for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft.
• Meanwhile, roast the tomatillos on the hot griddle, and once they are roasted, wrap them in an aluminum foil to keep warm while the peppers are soaking.
• Place tomatillos, softened peppers, garlic clove, and ½ cup of water into your blender pitcher and process until you have a smooth sauce. If you like, you can also puree the sauce in a food processor to give the salsa a coarse texture. Season with salt and pepper.

ROASTED TOMATO CASCABEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange cascabel chilies on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven for approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and remove and discard stems and seeds. Place them in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and allow chilies to rehydrate. Remove chilies from water (reserving water), put into a blender and puree with a little of reserved water. Set aside. Raise oven heat to Broil Arrange halved tomatoes and tomatillos cut side down on another sheet pan and place under broiler until skins blacken. Turn them once to heat evenly. Reserve. In a hot grill pan or cast iron skillet, grill red onion slices and garlic until marked and softer. Reserve. To a saucepan over medium hot heat add cascabel puree, tomatoes, tomatillos, red onion, garlic, chipotle puree, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. In a blender, blend mixture until desired consistency. Check seasoning.

CASCABEL CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet or on a comal over medium heat, turning, until aromatic and pliable, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cool then cut the chiles open and remove the seeds and veins. Save about 1/2 teaspoon of seeds to toast, and discard the remaining seeds. Cut the chiles into pieces and put into a spice grinder. (I use a coffee grinder reserved for spices.) 2. Toast the chile seeds in the dry skillet until they just begin to color, about 2 minutes. Add them to the spice grinder and grind the chiles and seeds to a coarse powder. Transfer to a blender with the chopped tomato, garlic, and salt. Blend to a coarse sauce. Transfer to a bowl and serve as a table sauce. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.