Guajillo Tomatillo Sauce Recipes

GUAJILLO CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Set a heavy ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat, lay the unpeeled garlic on the hot surface and let it roast to a sweet mellowness, turning occasionally until soft when pressed, a few small spots will blacken, about 15 minutes. Cool, slip off skins and roughly chop.
• While the garlic is roasting break the stems off chilies, tear chilies open and remove seeds, for the mildest sauce remove all stringy light colored veins. Finish and remove garlic if you haven't done so. Toast the chilies a few at a time on your medium-hot skillet. Open them flat, lay them on the hot surface skin side up and press flat with a metal spatula (if the temperature is right you will hear a faint crackle), then flip them and do the same (If you press them just long enough they will have changed to a mottled tan underneath, a wisp of smoke is OK but any more than that then there burnt). Transfer chilies to a bowl and cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, pour off all water and discard.
• In a food processor or blender add chilies, garlic, oregano, pepper and cumin, add 2/3 cup of the broth and process to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds (In a blender you may need to add a little more broth until everything is moving). With a rubber spatula, work the puree through a medium mesh strainer into a bowl, discard skins and seeds left in the strainer.
• Heat oil in a medium-sized pot (4 quart) over medium heat, when hot enough to make a drop of the puree sizzle sharply add the puree all at once. Cook stirring constantly, as the puree sears, reduces and darkens to an attractive earthy brick red paste, usually about 7 minutes, taste it: You'll know it is done when it has lost that harsh raw-chili edge.
• Stir in remaining 3 cups of broth, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. If the sauce has thickened past the consistency of a light cream soup, add more broth. Taste and season with salt and sugar - Salt to brighten and focus the flavors, sugar to smooth any rough or bitter chili edges.
• Covered and refrigerated the sauce will last about a week. If you freeze it you will need to re-boil it to bring back the lovely texture.
• Other chilies you can use - An equal amount of New Mexico chillies can replace the quajillo, the sauce will not be as full flavored; a chipotle or two adds complexity.

GUAJILLO AND TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Heat a dry heavy medium skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles briefly on all sides, pressing flat with tongs, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
• Simmer tomatillos in water to cover in a small saucepan until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a blender and add chiles, onion, garlic, orange juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.

TOMATILLO SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chile pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Using a blender, carefully puree the tomatillos and water in batches until smooth.

TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tomatillos, garlic, Anaheim chile, onions and jalapeno on a baking sheet. Toss the vegetables with the oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables until the tomatillos turn a dark-green color and the onions golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Let the vegetables cool slightly. Peel the garlic and transfer all the ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the lime juice and sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
• The tomatillo sauce can be made 1 day ahead, covered and chilled.

ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE WITH GUAJILLO CHILES

Steps:

• Roast the peppers. Lay whole red bell peppers directly over a high gas flame on the stovetop and cook until charred and blackened on all sides, turning occasionally with tongs. If you don't have a gas range you can broil them or skip this step and use jarred roasted peppers. Once peppers are blackened remove from heat and place in a heatproof bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter until cool enough to handle. Peel off blackened skin, remove stem and seeds and rinse under cold water. Roughly chop and place in blender. Prep the guajillo chiles. Remove stems and seeds and rinse chiles. Heat a dry cast iron skillet or comal over medium heat (not too hot or they will burn and become bitter). Place chiles on hot comal and toast, turning frequently until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan, cover with water and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Char the vegetables. Meanwhile, char tomatoes, onion, and garlic on the hot comal until blackened on all sides. Check frequently as the garlic will cook first. Remove garlic and continue turning and charring vegetables, about 10-15 minutes. You can also do this under a broiler or on the grill. Blend the sauce. Remove garlic skin and transfer vegetables to the blender with the peppers. Add oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper, soaked guajillo chiles and 3/4 cup of the chili-soaking liquid or vegetable broth. Blend on high until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if you'd like a super smooth sauce. Fry the sauce. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Stir in red pepper sauce (be careful it will spatter, so stir constantly) and bring to a simmer. Cook about 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not gloppy. If the sauce is too thick add a bit more chili-soaking liquid. Keep warm to serve immediately or remove from heat, let cool then cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days until ready to use.

GUAJILLO-TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Split the guajillos along one side, so they can be laid out flat. Heat two tablespoons vegetable oil in a 10-inch skillet set over medium heat until shimmering. Add one of the chilies with a pair of tongs, and press it until the oil. Flip every couple of seconds until the chili has turned dark red and is very fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove chili, letting any oil drip back into the pan, and transfer to a blender. Repeat with remaining chili. Discard the oil but do not rinse the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the garlic and the tomatillos, cut-side down. Cook until charred on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip garlic and tomatillos and let char on the other side, another 3 minutes. Transfer chilies, garlic, and tomatillos to the blender, along with 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth and season to taste with salt.

GUAJILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• With a damp paper towel, wipe off any dust on the peppers.
• Remove the stems, seeds, and veins of the guajillo peppers
• Add 4 cups water and the cleaned peppers to a stock pot.
• Put the lid on, and bring to a boil.
• Turn heat off, leaving the peppers inside.
• Wait for 5 minutes, or until the chiles are pliable.
• Discard the water.
• Rinse the pot and set aside until ready to use.
• To a blender, add the rehydrated peppers, garlic, onion, cumin, and salt.
• Add 2 cups water to the blender.
• Blend until smooth.
• Heat olive oil in the stock pot.
• Add a strainer over the stock pot.
• Carefully strain the sauce into the pot, using the back of a spoon.
• Be very careful. It can splatter.
• Bring to a simmer.
• Cook the sauce for 8-10 minutes.
• Stir occasionally.
• Taste for salt.

ROASTED RED GUAJILLO SALSA WITH TANGY TOMATILLOS

Steps:

• In a small skillet heat oil to a 1/4 inch depth over medium heat. Pull the stems off chiles and remove the seeds completely.
• Lay chiles in the skillet and turn them over several times as they toast and change color on the inside from dark cranberry red to a red. This should only take 15-20 seconds. Remove and place on paper towels. Chiles will crisp as they cool. You can do this one chile at a time.
• Lay the tomatillos on a baking sheet and set the pan 4 inches below the broiler and let broil until they are softened and black in places, about 5 minutes. The skin will split. Flip the tomatillos and roast other side for 4-5 more minutes or so. Set aside to cool. Do not peel off the darkened skins or cut out the cores.
• Turn oven to 425 and lay onion rings and garlic on a baking pan and bake until onions are deeply golden and garlic soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• In a blender or food processor, blend tomatillos including their juice with dry toasted chiles. Process to a smooth puree. Scrape two-third of the puree into a bowl.
• Roughly chop onion and garlic and add them to the blender still containing the rest of the chile tomatillo mixture. Pulse repeatedly until moderately finely chopped. Add a little water to loosen everything up and keep pulsing. Stir in enough water to give the salsa a lightly consistency. Combine this with chile tomatillo puree in a bowl.
• Taste and season with salt and bit of sugar. Use within 5 days or freeze.