smoky ancho salsa

This recipe is a variation from Williams-Sonoma’s Savoring Mexico. It’s made about the same way as spicy chipotle salsa. However, ancho and pasilla chiles are both very mild (at least if you discard the seeds and inner ribs). So the final salsa is smoky and earthy flavored with just the faintest touch of heat. Yum!

Smoky Ancho Salsa

2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried pasilla chiles
4 roma tomatoes
3 cloves garlic with peels
½ tsp. sea salt

Start by boiling some water in a small covered saucepan. Heat a cast iron pan on high. Roast garlic, tomatoes and dried chiles. Use tongs to rotate vegetables and to push chiles onto pan. Chiles take only a minute or so. You’ll know they’re ready when you notice their smoky aroma. Toss chiles in boiling water, cover and boil for five minutes. Then remove covered pot from heat and let sit for 15 minutes to fully re-hydrate. After garlic and tomatoes are roasted (about five minutes), peel and discard garlic skins and woody tops of tomatoes. Toss garlic, tomatoes and salt into food processor. Process until smooth. Run chiles under cool water to allow you to pull off stems, and open and remove inner seeds and ribs. Toss prepared chiles into food processor and run again until smooth.

dried ancho and pasilla chiles

searing peppers and vegetables