Enchilada
Sauce
Yield 2 Cups
This
easy to make enchilada sauce combines the sweetness
of tomato sauce with the earthy flavor and heat of
dried New Mexico chiles. The chiles have medium
heat, but if prove too hot can be tamed with
additional chicken stock or tomato sauce. This
vibrant red sauce goes great with chicken or cheese
enchiladas. It can also be used in Chile Colorado
recipes.
2 ½ - 3
oz dried New Mexico chiles
1 tablespoon cooking oil
½ medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½C tomato sauce
1 ¾C chicken stock
Salt to taste
Remove
stems, veins, and seeds from chiles. Tear the chiles
into 1-2” pieces and place in a bowl and cover with
boiling water. Gloves are recommended when handling
chiles. While the chiles rehydrate, heat the oil in
a pan and sweat the onions over medium heat until
translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2
minutes. Next, add the tomato sauce and chicken
stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for ten minutes.
Drain the chiles and add to the pan and continue to
simmer for five more minutes. Some recipes call for
adding the liquid from the chiles, however, it can
be bitter so it is omitted in this recipe.
Remove
the pan from the stove and allow the sauce to cool
slightly. When cooled, puree the sauce in a blender
and pass through a strainer or food mill. This
removes the bitter skin of the chile. Add salt to
taste and use in your favorite enchilada recipe. The
sauce will keep in the refrigerator 5-7 days or
freeze up to thirty days.
Recipe
by David Musial
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