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Chile Sauces

See Chile Paste or Sauce for storing and later use.

1.  Adobo Sauce Simplified

Note:  Adapted from several more complicated recipes, including the one below.   Adobo sauce usually is associated with dried Ancho chiles (dried Poblano peppers).  Many new recipes call for peppers in adobo sauce, so here it is! Martha Stewart's recipe for Ancho Dipping Sauce is similar, but includes ketchup and orange and lime juice instead of vinegar. 

Chop:
3 large dried Ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 dried Pasilla or Piquin chile, stem and seeds removed
3/4 cp dried tomatoes
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic

Add:
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 cp vegetable oil
1/4 cp distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 t sugar

1. Cover chiles and tomatoes with hot water and let them sit for 15 minutes till softened.  Reserve water. 
2. In a blender, combine chiles, tomatoes, 1/4 to 1/2 cp of reserved water, onion and garlic, and herbs, and puree to smooth paste.
3. Saute the blended chile mixture in the oil for 5 minutes, then add vinegar and sugar, and bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer till sauce is very thick, about 5-8 minutes.

2.  Chipotle Sauce

Note:  Chipotle peppers are smoke-dried jalapeno peppers.  The name stems from the Aztec (Nahuatl) words for chile (chil) and smoked (poctli), according to the Whole Chile Pepper Book.  They are sold in dry form or sometimes in a tomato-based adobo sauce (above).  This recipe is adapted from the above and Betty Crocker's Mexican Cookbook.  Use for Meatballs, enchiladas, or rellenos.

4     dried chipotle peppers
1     dried ancho pepper
1/2  cp dried tomatoes
1/4  cp chopped onion
1     cp beef broth
1/4  cp finely chopped cilantro, or, if not available, 1 T ground coriander
1/4  t freshly ground black pepper

1. Rehydrate peppers and tomatoes for about one hour.
2. Drain and finely chop. 
3. Saute onions till soft, then add remaining ingredients. 
   

3. Shirley's Quick and Easy Red Chile Sauce

  Use for enchiladas and chiles rellenos. 

1      T chili powder, or to taste
1      t chile flakes, or dried chiles to taste
1      t  cumin, oregano, coriander
1/2   t salt
2      cps chicken broth
1     16-oz can of tomato sauce or puree
1     small onion, finely chopped
1     clove garlic, sliced

Saute onions and garlic in butter in medium sauce pan, add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat uncovered till right consistency (30-50 minutes).