Salsa Para Enchiladas

Photo: flickr user doggo

Ingredients

8 dried California chiles

Water

1 1/2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 teaspoon vinegar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

Wash chiles thoroughly. Place in a large saucepan and cover generously with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 45 minutes or until softened. Drain chilies, reserving soaking liquid. Pull off stems, slit chiles open and rinse off seeds. Place chiles and 1 cup soaking liquid in blender or food processor. Process until pureed. Turn into a sieve and rub through sieve into bowl to eliminate small bits of peel. Rinse blender with an additional 1 cup s

Heat lard or oil and garlic in a medium saucepan. When lard or oil is fragrant with garlic, discard garlic clove. Stir in flour until mixture is smooth. Cook about 1 minute. Add pureed chile mixture and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Taste and add more salt if needed. Makes about 2 1/3 cups.

For a hotter sauce, substitute 2 or 3 dried New Mexican chiles for 2 or 3 of the California chiles.

Substitute 1/2 to 1 cup broth for an equal amount of chile soaking liquid.

Substitute 1/2 cup tomato juice or tomato sauce for 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.