Texas Green Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

When you order "green sauce" in Texas, this is what you will be served. 
It differs from New Mexico's green sauce in that the color is derived 
from tomatillos rather than from green chiles. This sauce can be used as 
a dipping sauce, with enchiladas, or as a topping for grilled poultry or 
fish.

Ingredients

3 pounds tomatillos
1 bunch green onions
1 small bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon garlic in oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoons chicken base dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
6 serrano chiles, stems removed

Instructions

Roast the tomatillos in a roasting pan under the broiler until they are 
brown and squishy. Turn them over with a pair of tongs and repeat the 
process. Take the roasted tomatillos, including all the liquid from the 
roasting process, and combine them with the remaining ingredients in a 
food processor and puree.
In a saucepan, simmer this mixture for ten minutes before serving or 
incorporating into another recipe.

Romesco Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Romesco is a classic Spanish sauce that is served with a wide variety of 
dishes, including the famous tortilla Española from the Tarragona 
region, this classic Catalan sauce combines almonds with two of the most 
popular horticultural imports from the New World—chiles and tomatoes. 
The sauce gets its name from the romesco chile, but these are not 
readily available outside Spain. A combination of ancho and New Mexican 
chiles approximates the flavor.

Ingredients

1 ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
2 dried red New Mexican red chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup toasted almonds
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tomatoes, unpeeled
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200ºF.
Place the chiles, almonds, garlic, and tomatoes on a baking pan and 
roast in the oven until the nuts are toasted, the chiles are fragrant, 
and the skins of the tomatoes and garlic are blistered. The nuts will 
take about 5 minutes, the tomatoes about 20, and the chiles somewhere in 
between. Check frequently to be sure nothing burns.
Allow the ingredients to cool. Place the almonds in a spice mill or 
coffee grinder and process to a powder. Place the chiles in a bowl, 
cover with hot water, and allow them to steep for 15 minutes to soften. 
Drain the chiles and discard the water. Remove the skins from the 
tomatoes and garlic.
Put the almonds, chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and vinegar in a blender or 
food processor and puree to a smooth paste, adding a little oil if 
necessary.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and slowly whisk in the oil, 1 teaspoon at 
a time, until half of the oil is absorbed. Gradually add the remaining 
oil. Season with the salt and pepper.
Allow the sauce to sit for an hour or two to blend the flavors.
Red Chile Sauce

New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

Mark Masker Cooking with Chiles at the Holidays, Recipes Leave a Comment

The chiles that are traditionally used for Chile Colorado (red chile sauce) are the ones that are plucked off the ristras. Ristras, those strings of dried chiles that adorn houses in New Mexico are not just for decoration they are used for cooking also. This is a basic sauce that is used in any Southwestern recipe that calls for a red sauce such as enchiladas or tamales or as in the above recipe for Posole.

Salsa Pimentón

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

The hotbed of chiles in Spain is the valley of La Vera, where the 
pimientos (chiles) are grown and smoked to make the famous spice 
pimentón de la Vera. The majority of the pimentón goes to the sausage 
factories, where it is used to spice up, flavor, and brighten up the 
famous Spanish chorizo. But it is also packed in tins for the consumer 
market. There are three varieties of pimentón--sweet (dulce), hot 
(picante), and bittersweet (agridulce). The hot type is used in winter 
soups, chorizo, and Galician pulpo, or octopus. The octopus is boiled 
and sliced, then sprinkled with olive oil, salt, and hot pimentón 
powder. Interestingly, there are recipes for chorizo and potato stews 
that utilize all three of the types of pimentón. Serve this sauce over 
grilled seafood and chicken.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium purple onion, chopped
3 tablespoons hot pimentón
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup minced green olives

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, onion, and 1 
tablespoon of pimentón and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes 
and bell peppers and cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. 
Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add 
the remaining pimentón and the olives and puree. Transfer the sauce back 
to the pan and keep warm.

Classic New Mexico Green Chile Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This all-purpose sauce recipe is from the southern part of New Mexico, 
where green chile is the one of the state's top food crops and is used 
more commonly than the red form. It is a great topping for enchiladas 
and is often served over scrambled eggs. Variations: To thicken the 
sauce, make a roux by sauteing 1 tablespoon flour in 1 tablespoon 
vegetable oil, taking care not to let it burn. Slowly stir the roux into 
the sauce and cook to the desired thickness. Coriander and Mexican 
oregano may be added to taste. For added heat, add more New Mexican 
chiles or a serrano or two.

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 green New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds and stems removed, 
chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups chicken broth or water

Instructions

In a pan, saute the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil until soft.
Add the chile, cumin, and water and simmer for 1/2 hour. The sauce may 
be pureed in a blender to the desired consistency.