Mexican Food Lovers - Red Enchilada Sauce

[Recipes Make Magic]

In my corner of the world guajillos and anchos also have the advantage of being available in bulk at a reasonable price in Mexican grocery stores. Pasillas can only be found in small packages at five or ten times the price. And an aside that might further complicate the issue for some is that the big chain grocery stores including Kroger market poblanos as pasillas.

It's basically the same situation in my neck of the woods - the guajillos are more commonplace than pasillas, so it suits me just fine.

Marketing poblanos as pasillas though, that's a cardinal sin, isn't it ?

 

[skilletlicker]

Marketing poblanos as pasillas though, that's a cardinal sin, isn't it ?

I got over that outrage years ago. Apparently there is a long tradition in the wholesale produce business of labeling poblanos that way. Big chain produce managers have shown me their box and invoices.

 

[pepperhead212]

The biggest eye-opener for me, after having used store-bought canned red sauces for many years, was the flavor that the reconstituted dry chiles brought to the dish of enchiladas vs. the benign canned stuff.

I agree, and I haven't bought any of those canned things since back in the 70s, when I learned how to make the real Mexican foods! And back then, I had to make trips to NYC - an 85 mile trip from here - to get ingredients for Mexican, as well as many other cuisines. Even Philadelphia had nothing, back in those days. Amazing how times have changed!

A method I have found very useful when making many of these Mexican sauces is Rick Bayless's method of toasting the chiles. This toasts most of the surface, quickly, and there's less likelihood of getting burned spots, which can happen the usual way, since the surface is uneven on all of them. In his method, the chiles are stemmed, and seeded (except in small chiles), then put flat out in a dry skillet over medium high heat, and you press down hard against it for just a few seconds, until it crackles slightly, then flip it, and do the same on the other side. The color will actually lighten slightly, and get sort of a mottled look, but the entire surface on the inside and out of the larger peppers gets toasted.

And one of the best things I ever got for making these sauces, and moles, was the Vitamix. The first time I ever blended one, then strained it, there was nothing in the strainer! It ground everything up so fine, there were no seeds or skin left!

 

[Recipes Make Magic]

Yes Dave, I actually saw Rick Bayless do that on one his TV shows, and copied it - so I do it myself every time now.


Vitamix - Linda knew all about that type of blender, but I didn't - I'll have to look into it - probably quite expensive, huh ?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...Vitamix - Linda knew all about that type of blender, but I didn't - I'll have to look into it - probably quite expensive, huh ?

Vitamix sells refurbished models online. My MIL had one from as far back as Himself could remember. Never gave her a lick of trouble. After she died, my FIL married a she-witch. The woman tossed everything and anything that had to do with Mom. After Dad died, my SIL and I both were looking for stuff we would have loved to have had that was Mom's, but no luck. I'm sure we would have fought over that Vitamix, though.

I might get one some day. I have a list of "I wants" for whenif we get ourselves moved back to OH. Vitamix is headquartered in suburban Cleveland, but I believe they don't sell them retail at their HQ. I would really like the fancy-schmancy model that makes hot soups and frozen desserts. Sounds like it would be fun to play with!

 

[pepperhead212]

Yes Dave, I actually saw Rick Bayless do that on one his TV shows, and copied it - so I do it myself every time now.


Vitamix - Linda knew all about that type of blender, but I didn't - I'll have to look into it - probably quite expensive, huh ?

Yeah, they are expensive, but I can't tell you how much I have used it - a lot more than my FP, for sure. I won't tell you how much I paid for mine; suffice it to say that it was used only a few times, and I got it from a lady whose mother went into a home, and she had given it to her, but she almost never used it!
Would have been like me giving my mom one!

Besides the Mexican sauces, I have used it for Thai curry pastes, but the problem with those is that it thickens so much, that I'd have to put about 1/2c water in, to a little less than a pint, so that it could circulate. I just have to remember than they are diluted, somewhat. Nothing like gazpacho made in it either; that I thicken by adding chia seeds, letting them gel for a few minutes, then blend until no longer visible.

A friend got one of those refurbished ones, after he fell in love using mine for Mexican (he did the same thing with a number of things in my kitchen, when he and his fiancé watched my house for me on a vacation), and has had no problems with it in almost 15 years.

On the topic of pasillas, there are many areas in Mexico that have different chiles, fresh and dried, that they call pasillas, the best known being pasillas de Oaxaca , which is another smoked chile, but fairly large, like a mulato. If you ever see them, get some - incredible flavor in them! Regular pasillas have gotten expensive, but check this out: Pasillas $17.99/lb Bayless has a concentrated pasilla paste recipe in one of his books that I used to keep around all the time, along with his salsa negra.

 

[CharlieD]

Thank you

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

For those of you who love enchiladas, here's a link to a fabulous recipe from Mexican Food Journal for putting together an authentic red enchilada sauce that's easy to make, and could well be the very best red enchilada sauce.../[/URL]

I have this sauce you might like. But then again, it's a little hot for most people, but has amazing flavor. I call it Raging Bull Sauce. We start with a 19 oz can chopped tomato
5 drie Japone peppers
3 dried cayenne peppers
3 dried yellowTobaso peppes
2 fresh jalepino peppers
2 Poblano peppers
4 scotch bonnet peppers
1/8 Tsp each, powered Ghost Pepper, 7 pod Dugla, Trindad Scorpian Maruga, and Carolina Reaper,
1 onon, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tsp freshly minced cilantro
1 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp salt.

Place all in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook, Stirling frequently for 20 minutes. Place in jars and chill util very cold. It is great on top of Chile relennos. tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tamales, and is very good on top of a burger.. The heat is tempered on the burger and it adds grart flavor. i like to eat it like salsa, with fried tortilla chips too. But Raging Bull is not for the feint of heart. Be forewarned, it's pretty hot.
Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North