Salsa Roja

By ctaubenheim

Ingredients

• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried Anaheim chile, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried chipolte chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 cup hot water
• 8 plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 medium spanish onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sprigs cilantro
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 lime, juiced

Details

Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

Tear all the chilies into large pieces and toast t hem in a large dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and continue to toast for 2 - 3 minutes until everything is fragrant. Remove from heat and carefully add about 1 cup of hot water to just cover the chilies. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Put the quartered tomatoes, sliced onion, and whole garlic cloves onto a roasting try, spreading out evenly. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs. Broil unto everything is nicely charred, about 10 minutes (you want lots of deep rich color so don't be afraid if some of the edges get pretty black). Add the chile mixture to a blender and puree. Remove the tomato/onion mixture from the roasting pan and carefully add it to the blender (it will be hot). Blend until smooth (you may need to work in 2 batches). Once everything is pureed, pour the mixture back into the pot over low heat adding a little water if the salsa is too thick. Stir in the sugar and lime juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside until ready to use.