Salsa Ranchera de Chile Guajilla

Restaurant Style Salsa With A Twist

The thing I like about salsa is that there are countless ways of making it.  My mom has about five stand-by recipes and I've been trying, to no avail, to recreate them.  She usually walks me step by step, exact ingredient amounts and all, and still it never tastes as good as hers.

Lately I've turned to researching authentic salsa's and have consistently turned to Diana Kennedy's "The Essential Cuisines of Mexico" for inspiration which is where this salsa recipe is modified from.  This salsa is very close to a restaurant type salsa but with the addition of Guajilla Chiles which add a complex smokyness. Dried Guajilla's are a variety of chile and can usually be found in the ethnic section of the grocery store or at your local Mexican/Latin market.

Recipe after the jump...

Ingredients

3 Guajilla chiles wiped clean, veins and seeds removed
1 large tomato
1/4 of a white onion, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove
2 tbs chopped cilantro
1/2 a jalapeno pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Heat a griddle and toast the chiles lightly on both sides careful not to burn them or the salsa will taste bitter, 1 minute or less (you just want to release a bit of the oils). Next, place the tomato and toasted Guajilla in a small sauce pan covered with water and boil until soft, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Add remaining ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. If salsa is too thick add some of the cooking liquid to thin out. Enjoy