Salsa Pimentón

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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.

Espelette Piperade

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The most famous chile in France is piment d’ Espelette, or the Espelette 
pepper, and it has become a cultural and culinary icon in the French 
part of Basque country. At first the Espelette farmers formed 
cooperative enterprises to protect their interests, and eventually they 
applied to the National Institute for Trade Name Origins for an 
Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC). On December 1, 1999, an AOC was 
granted to Espelette peppers and products, giving it the same protection 
as more famous names, such as Champagne sparkling wine. Only ten 
villages are allowed to use the name “Espelette”: Espelette, Ainhoa, 
Cambo les Bains, Halsou, Itsassou, Jatsou, Laressore, St. Pee sur 
Nivelle, Souraide, and Ustarritz. The total growing area is about 3,000 
acres. Piperade is a colorful pepper sauce that is only spicy when made 
in the Basque region. This simple but delicious sauce is often served at 
the Celebration of the Peppers in the village of Espelette. Serve it 
over boiled potatoes and green beans.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
4 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 green bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, chopped
4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons Espelette powder, or more to taste (substitute hot paprika 
or New Mexico red chile powder)
Pinch of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saute pan and saute the onions and 
garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell peppers and 
cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and Espelette 
powder and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme, 
salt, and pepper and transfer to a bowl. For a smooth sauce, puree this 
mixture in small batches in a blender or food processor.

Romesco Sauce

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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.

Dave’s Fresh Red Chile Sauce

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This method of making chile sauce differs from others using fresh New 
Mexican chiles because these chiles aren't roasted and peeled first. 
Because of the high sugar content of fresh red chiles, this sauce is 
sweeter than most. I harvested some chiles from his garden one late 
summer day, made a batch of this sauce, and ate every drop as a soup! It 
makes a tasty enchilada sauce, too.

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 fresh red New Mexican chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped (or 
more, to taste)
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano leaves
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the chiles, onion, and garlic 
until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and 
simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.
In a blender, puree the sauce in batches and return it to the saucepan. 
Cook until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Add salt to taste.

Classic New Mexico Green Chile Sauce

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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.