Description
A smooth, earthy Mexican salsa made from toasted ancho chiles and seared tomatillos and garlic, blended with water and salt.
Ingredients
- 2 ancho chiles
- 4 large tomatillos (at least the size of a ping pong ball)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Prep the chiles and tomatillos: Pull the stems from the ancho chiles, split them in half, and remove the seeds and membranes. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos, rinse them under cold water to remove the sticky coating, and cut them in half.
- Toast the chiles: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chiles and toast, flipping once, until they puff slightly and lighten in color, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Move the chiles to a blender with a slotted spoon.
- Sear the tomatillos and garlic: Pour the oil out of the pan and wipe it clean with a paper towel. Return the pan to medium heat for a minute, then add the tomatillos and garlic. Sear until browned, about 3 minutes, then flip and sear the other side, about 3 minutes more. Add them to the blender.
- Blend the salsa: Add the water and salt to the blender. Pulse a few times to chop everything up, then blend on low for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until smooth. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
Notes
Equipment: A blender or food processor.
Don't breathe in deeply while you're seeding the chiles, unless you want a mild version of pepper spray.
Toasting the chiles in oil only takes a minute and adds a lot of depth. If you really want to skip it, soak the chiles in hot water for 30 minutes instead.
Anchos are dried poblano chiles. They're medium hot, a little milder than a jalapeno.
Store the salsa in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze it for up to 3 months. I double the recipe and freeze the extra in 1 cup containers.
Easy chipotle salsa: Use 3 canned chipotles in adobo, with their sauce, instead of the anchos. Skip the chile prep and toasting, and put the chipotles straight into the blender. It's hotter and smokier, and very good.
Guajillo salsa: Rick Bayless's original uses guajillo chiles, which are as hot as anchos but less sweet. Use guajillos instead of the anchos, or one of each.
Adapted from Rick Bayless's Mexican Everyday.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes