Dried Chili Salsa

Ingredients

6 oz dried Guajillo Chili

6 oz dried Padilla Chili

2 Tbsp of dried chili Pequins (if you like spicy, if not, then omit)

2 HEADS of garlic peeled

1 sweet yellow onion peeled

2-3 Tbsp sea salt

4-5 limes juiced

1 Tbsp dried Cumin

1 bunch (2 cups) fresh Cilantro

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Boil a large pot of water. Remove from heat when boiling. Immediately add dried chili pods, push pods under water (they like to float), and Soak for an hour to rehydrate.

Wait 30-minutes then, in a blender, Purée onion and garlic. Add about a 1/2 cup of chili water from the pot of soaking pods, to help the blending.

In a large sauce pot, add the oil and heat on medium til glossy. Add the slurry of onion and garlic to the pot and 1 Tbsp of sea salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes. ⚠️ THIS MAY CAUSE YOU TO TEAR UP… as in cry. Turn the stove top vent on to help alleviate this!

After about ten minutes of cooking the “on-gar” slurry, start to blend up the rehydrated chili. I used two blenders for this but, you can do in batches. Make sure on of the batches gets the cilantro blended in with it! You will need to add the chili water (by the ladle) in to the blender to help the chili blend. It will be thick but you want it to move around. Add enough of the chili water until you see consistent movement. *if using the chili pequin, then add these to the blender at this point! Then pour in to the pot with the on-gar sauté.

Once in the pot, squeeze fresh limes or add the pre-squeezed juice and cumin to the pot.

Cook til bubbles form and then switch to low for a simmer. You want this to simmer together for about an hour. But don’t let it burn. You can add additional chili water if you like more fluid.

Once it cools down a bit I jar this nectar of the chili Gods and use it throughout the winter. My lucky family and friends, might get a jar as a gift 🎁

Now, some people like to add sugar and/or vinegar. I am not a big proponent of added sugar, so i leave it out. Vinegar can be a nice add if using this as more of a chip dip. For this sized batch you could add 1/2 a cup of white vinegar. And salt this to taste.

I use this sauce as a base for chili con carne (classic meat chili),

chili con queso (hot cheese dip), a basting sauce for fish, pozole rojo (pork stew) and chicken mole . It’s also great mixed in to minced meat for meatballs or jazzed up hamburgers. Highly recommended with game meat like venison or bison!!

What is your favorite home made foodie gift to receive from family or friends? Is there a special recipe you look forward to every year?