Ancho Chile Marinade Recipes

ANCHO CHILI SAUCE - RECIPE

Steps:

• Dry roast the ancho peppers on a hot pan about 1-2 minutes per side. The peppers will puff slightly and the skins will begin to turn red.
• Set them into a large pot of boiling water and remove from heat. Let them soak covered in water for 30 minutes.
• Remove the stems and coarsely chop the anchos. Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Set the chopped anchos into a food processor.
• Heat the oil in a pan to medium heat and add the onion. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
• Add the garlic and tomato and cook another minute or so, until you can smell the garlic. Add them to the food processor.
• Add the vinegar, cumin, oregano and a bit of salt and pepper along with about 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Process until it smooths out.
• The sauce will be thick at this point. You can add more soaking liquid to achieve your desired consistency.
• Give it a taste. You can adjust with salt and pepper and this point, and if you feel it needs a touch of sweetness, add the honey and process a bit more.
• Press the sauce through a coarse strainer into a bowl. I use a wooden spoon to push it through.
• Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
• As a tasty variation, add up to 15 ounces (1 can) of tomato sauce while cooking, or after you strain the ancho chili sauce to simmer. It makes for an outstanding final sauce. Or, swirl in anywhere from 1 tablespoon to a cup of the ancho chili sauce to tomato sauce to liven up any dish.

CHIPOTLE GRILL ANCHO MARINADE

Steps:

• Soak dried chilies in water overnight or until soft; remove seeds. Place ingredients, except meat, in a food processor; process until smooth. Spread mixture over the chicken; refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. Heat grill to 400 degrees, or if cooking inside, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet or grill pan over high heat. Season chicken with salt. Grill chicken breasts until cooked through.

ANCHO CHILE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Hydrate dried peppers. Place the dried chiles in a medium-sized sauce pot and add just enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and then cover the pot and and turn off the heat. Let the chiles hydrate in the hot water until they're soft, at least 20 minutes.
• Prep peppers. Remove the chiles from the pot. Use your hands or a paring knife to gently remove the stems and seeds. Add the hydrated chiles to the blender. (If you're very sensitive to the heat, I suggest wearing cooking gloves.) Remove 1 cup of the hydrating liquid from the pot and pour it in the blender. (Do not throw out remaining liquid as you can use it as a stock in other recipes.)
• Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend. Add the stock, sugar, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to the blender. Purée in the blender until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Season to taste with salt and sugar if necessary. (Here's how.)
• Use or store. Stir in the oil and it's ready to use. Or, pour the sauce into a storage container with a tight sealing lid, and place in the refrigerator, where it should keep for at least 3 weeks.

ANCHO CHILE MARINADE

Steps:

• Soak dry chiles in water overnight or until soft. Remove seeds. Add all ingredients except meat in food processor. Puree until smooth.
• Spread mixture over meat and refrigerate at least one hour, up to 24 hours.
• Heat grill to about 400 degrees, or if cooking inside heat small amount of oil in skillet or grill pan over high heat. Salt meat to taste. Grill meat about 4 minutes per side, depending upon thickness, until done.

ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place chile in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover; let soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid.
• Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste; stir 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add wine and softened chile; simmer 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons reserved chile soaking liquid, ketchup and all remaining ingredients. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Puree sauce in blender, adding more reserved soaking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. May be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill.

ANCHO CHILI AND LIME MARINADE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except oil; stir well.
• Slowly add oil while whisking to emulsify.

SOUTHWESTERN LIME CHICKEN WITH ANCHO CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine first 9 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Place chicken in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove chicken breasts from marinade. Grill chicken until just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Place 1 cheese slice atop each chicken breast half; cover barbecue and cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken breasts to plates. Serve with Ancho Chili Sauce.

SAUTEED SHRIMP IN ANCHO CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel the shrimp. Rinse them, and place them in iced water with the coarse salt. Soak for an hour.
• Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for an hour.
• Remove the chilies from the water (reserving it) and take away the seeds and stems. Tear into large strips and place the chilies in a blender. Add the lemon or lime juice and enough of the soaking liquid to make a smooth puree. Set aside.
• Rinse the shrimp under cold water.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the garlic and shallots. Cook until soft.
• Add the shrimp and cook for one minute, then add one-and-a-half tablespoons ancho puree. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes (beware of overcooking the shrimp). Taste and stir in more puree according to your taste. Season with salt and pepper and add the coriander. Serve immediately.

INSTANT-POT ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the chiles:
• Pull or cut off the stems from the chiles and remove as many seeds as possible. Put the chiles in the Instant Pot. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after handling the chiles.
• Pressure cook:
• Add the garlic, water, salt, sugar, oregano, and cumin to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid into place. Select Manual; adjust the pressure to High and the time to 8 minutes. After cooking, naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Finish the sauce:
• Pour the sauce into a blender. Add the vinegar and blend until smooth, being careful to hold the lid on. Use immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.