Salsa Roja

Salsa Roja

Think of salsa roja as a dried-chile variety taster opportunity.  You will need approximately 6 dried chiles.  Recommended dried chile peppers for salsa roja include:

• pasilla
• ancho
• guajillo
• serrano and
• chile arbol. 

But do not limit yourself to just those.  Collect dried chile peppers and anytime that you have a sufficiently interesting collection consider making a salsa roja.

You will neeed approximately 6 dried chiles and 3 cloves of garlic with skin. 

Place the garlic and then the chiles in a hot, dry, heavy, cast-iron skillet.  Check them continuously, while checking for brown spots as they toast on the dry griddle; turn both the chiles and the garlic cloves.  Keep an eye on the color and the aroma.  When the scent changes and takes on a toasty, rich character, they're done. Remove them from heat and let them cool for a moment.

When cool enough to handle (the peppers cool more quickly than the garlic, which in turn takes longer to cook), pull out the stems, veins, seeds and placentas from the chiles.  For a hotter salsa roja leave some of the veins and placenta.  Tear the skins into chunks and place in a small bowl.  Pour boiling water over them just to cover, then weigh down with a smaller bowl or saucer.  Allow to soak for at least one half hour.  Meanwhile, peel the garlic cloves, which have absorbed some of the chile pepper flavors and smell sweet, and smoky.

After the peppers have absorbed most of the water, transfer both peppers and water to a blender along with the peeled garlic.  Puree thoroughly. Add salt to taste and serve your delicious salsa roja immediately with homemade taco chips.