Rustic Red Chile Sauce

This rustic sauce is used over enchiladas or tamales. You can also serve it on top of chicken breast, pork chops or grilled steak.

Low fat - low calorie

10 to 12 large dried ancho chiles (20 if small to medium)
2 to 3 cups water (divided use)
1 small white onion, chopped
3 to 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon salt

Wash the dried anchos. Soak overnight or fill a medium pan with hot water (enough to cover the peppers). Bring the water to a boil, remove from heat, then add the peppers and soak 30 minutes. Save the water.

In a skillet, sauté onion in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until soft and clear (sautéing in oil can cause a bitter taste). Do not brown the onion.

Clean stems and seeds from anchos. Sprinkle water in the skillet over a medium heat. Lay the chiles flat. Sauté for 1 minute on each side Do not burn the skin. If you do burn a spot, cut it off or the taste will taint the whole batch.

In a blender add 1 cup of reserved water, ancho peppers, onion, chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano and salt. (The chipotle peppers are hot, so add to taste.) Slowly add 1 cup of water and puree until the ingredients are smooth. There should be no skin pulp in the sauce. If you want it hotter, add a few fresh jalapeños (not pickled). The sauce should mound slightly when finished, so you may have to add a little more water to thin it. Makes 4 cups.

The sauce keeps for about a week in the refrigerator, and it freezes well.

Per tablespoon: Cal 33 (21% fat) Fat 1 g (no sat) Fiber 2 g No chol Sodium 96 mg Carb 6 g Calcium 8 mg