SPRING HILL RANCH'S NEW MEXICO RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

Spring Hill Ranch's New Mexico Red Enchilada Sauce image

Provided by Wiley P

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 9

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4 c beef, chicken or pork broth, depending on what meat you are using in the enchiladas
3 1/2 oz dried new mexico red chiles (about 15)*
*if you don't live in the southwest, dried new mexico red chiles are available in the latin foods section of many big city supermarkets, in southwestern specialty stores and online. these are the ripened and dried version of the famous new mexico
green chile, such as the new mexico #6, "big jim" or chimayo green chile. other dried red chiles such as the guajillo or ancho chiles are also used in new mexico sauces, but the flavor is different, the heat factor may be different and they may not
match as well with these herbs and spices.
1/4 can(s) minced yellow or white onion (about 1/4 medium onion)
2 medium clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried mexican oregano flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin (freshly ground if available)

Steps:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring the broth to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, remove the stems from the chiles and shake out the seeds. Place them in a medium-sized skillet, about 10" wide and 2 1/2" deep. Once the broth is hot, pour it into the chile skillet and place it over very low heat to allow the chiles to steep. Place a plate over the chiles to keep them submerged. Steep the chiles until they have softened and are quite pliable, about 20 minutes.
3. (This step will net between 3 and 4 cups of hot enchilada sauce, so if your blender is not large enough, do it in batches.) Place the softened chiles in a blender, packing them in snugly but not to pack very tightly. Pour in enough of the broth to come half way up the chiles. Add the onion, garlic, oregano and cumin. Blend on medium-high speed until the sauce is very smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add additional broth or some water.
4. If an ultra-smooth sauce is desired, in a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl, strain the sauce.