The chiles that are traditionally used for Chile Colorado (red chile sauce) are the ones that are plucked off the ristras. Ristras, those strings of dried chiles that adorn houses in New Mexico are not just for decoration they are used for cooking also. This is a basic sauce that is used in any Southwestern recipe that calls for a red sauce such as enchiladas or tamales or as in the above recipe for Posole.
This all-purpose sauce recipe is from the southern part of New Mexico,
where green chile is the one of the state's top food crops and is used
more commonly than the red form. It is a great topping for enchiladas
and is often served over scrambled eggs. Variations: To thicken the
sauce, make a roux by sauteing 1 tablespoon flour in 1 tablespoon
vegetable oil, taking care not to let it burn. Slowly stir the roux into
the sauce and cook to the desired thickness. Coriander and Mexican
oregano may be added to taste. For added heat, add more New Mexican
chiles or a serrano or two.
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 green New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds and stems removed,
chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups chicken broth or water
In a pan, saute the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil until soft.
Add the chile, cumin, and water and simmer for 1/2 hour. The sauce may
be pureed in a blender to the desired consistency.
This method of making chile sauce differs from others using fresh New
Mexican chiles because these chiles aren't roasted and peeled first.
Because of the high sugar content of fresh red chiles, this sauce is
sweeter than most. I harvested some chiles from his garden one late
summer day, made a batch of this sauce, and ate every drop as a soup! It
makes a tasty enchilada sauce, too.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 fresh red New Mexican chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped (or
more, to taste)
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano leaves
Salt to taste
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the chiles, onion, and garlic
until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and
simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.
In a blender, puree the sauce in batches and return it to the saucepan.
Cook until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Add salt to taste.
The smoked red jalapeño, known as the chipotle chile, has gained such
popularity that there's even a couple of cookbooks devoted to it! It
particularly works well with barbecuing and grilling, both of which have
considerable smoke associated with them.
3 dried chipotle chiles
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, quartered, seeds removed
2 onions, sliced thickly
3 tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
In a bowl, combine the chipotle chiles with very hot water and soak for
60 minutes or more to soften. Chop the chipotles finely. In a medium
saucepan, heat the oil and saute the onion. After the onion is
translucent, add the garlic and continue to saute for 2 minutes.
To roast the bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, place them on the grill
over a medium fire and grill until they are soft and slightly blackened.
Remove, peel, and chop the vegetables.
In a large sauce pan, combine all the ingredients and bring the mixture
to a low boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20
minutes. Let the mixture cool and puree in a blender or food processor
until smooth. You can thin the mixture with water if you so desire.
This is my version of a recipe that originally appeared in Mary Land’s
Louisiana Cookery (1954). I have spiced it up a bit. Okay, more than a
bit, and added a few other spices. This sauce is served with grilled
seafood and chicken, but if you wanted to sneak it onto some steamed
shrimp or crawdads, I wouldn’t turn you in to the food police. It will
keep in the refrigerator for a week and freezes nicely.
1/4 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons distilled vinegar
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Saute the onion in the oil in a skillet until soft, add the garlic and
saute for two minutes more. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a
saucepan, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove the bay leaves,
place the mixture in a blender or food processor and process until just
blended.
