Red Chile Salsa

By lorik

Guajillo chiles are tangy with just a bit of heat. Our favorite brand of fire-roasted tomatoes is DeLallo. Serve the salsa alongside carne asada.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 ounces dried guajillo chiles, wiped clean
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch ground cumin

Preparation

Step 1

Toast guajillos in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large plate and, when cool enough to handle, remove stems and seeds. Place guajillos in blender and process until finely ground, 60 to 90 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Add tomatoes and their juice, water, salt, garlic, vinegar, oregano, pepper, clove, and cumin to blender and process until very smooth, 60 to 90 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. (Salsa can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)