Basic Sonoran Red Chile Sauce Recipe

How to make it

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• The amount of dried New Mexico red chiles used determines the amount of water, stock and salt needed for the recipe. Each 8 oz. bag contains approximately 20 - 30 large, dried, whole chile pods.
• Select dried New Mexico red chiles with the "heat" you prefer, mild, medium, hot, or extra hot.
• Soak the stemmed, seeded New Mexico red chiles in the water, slowly bringing the water to a boil. Keep the chiles submerged. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer for about an hour. The walls of the chile pods will be considerably thicker. This pulp will form the body of the sauce and determine it's flavor and "heat."
• Set the chiles in the liquid aside to cool down. When the chiles are cooled down, remove them from the liquid and put into a blender in small batches. Add a little of the liquid or stock to the chilies and puree on high.
• Strain each pureed batch into a large bowl, keeping the sauce on the thick side. This straining removes most of the cellulose skin and seeds fragments from the sauce.
• Adjust the salt to taste.
• The sauce is now ready to be used in a number of Mexican dishes and salsas. Unused sauce freezes well and may be kept a few days in the refrigerator.
• *Note: The family of chiles (Capsicum Sp.) is indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Since the time of Columbus the use of chiles has spread all around the planet and has become basic to many different cuisines and cultures. However, the Indians of the Western Hemisphere had a long head-start on the development and use of chiles. They developed flavors and concoctions for this native vegetable that has never been equaled anywhere on this planet. The exotic, musky taste of the chipotle chile is unequaled. Chipotle is the dried red Jalapeño chile which has been smoked over wood fires to provide it's unique flavor. The Mayan and Aztec cultures gave us tastes and flavors unequaled. Today the Mexican nation is alive with taste and flavors and variations of dishes borne of these Indian creations.