Toasted Guajillo Chile Salsa Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, place 4 cups water, the guajillo chilies, garlic cloves and white onion and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer until the chiles are soft and tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer the boiled vegetables, the tomato and 2 cups of the boiling liquid to a large blender and set aside to cool before blending. Process until smooth. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.
• In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Strain the pureed guajillo salsa into the pan. Add the bay leaf and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper as desired.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• On a cookie sheet, roughly chop your onion, tomatoes, and lay out face up. Peel the garlics and place on cookie sheet too. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.
• While the veggies are roasted, take your guajillo chiles, and put them in a frying pan on medium heat, to soften. Cook on each side about 45 seconds - 1 minutes, or until they are soft. Do not let them get black and crunchy!
• Pull your guajillo chiles out of the frying pan, and slice them up. If you don't like spicy, remove seeds. I leave the seeds because I like spicy!
• In your blender, combine all ingredients (roasted veggies, chiles, canned tomatoes, and salt). Blend until all ingredients are ground up, and there is a smooth consistency.
• Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips, as a sauce for enchiladas, a sauce to acompany fajitas, or any sort of Mexican dish you would like!

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.