Ancho Red Pepper Sauce Food

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.

RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the peppers, cover and simmer over very low heat, for about 20 minutes or until tender. Puree the cooked peppers through a food mill to remove the skins. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce is ready to be used like this over steak, grilled polenta, poultry, lamb or grilled seafood or can be enhanced with a few tablespoonfuls of the possible additions.

GRILLED SNAPPER AND ASPARAGUS WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, garlic, shallot, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the bell pepper is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan; cook until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes; discard the thyme. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree; season with salt and pepper and add up to 1 more teaspoon vinegar, if needed.
• Preheat a grill to high and generously oil the grates. Rub the fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Rub the asparagus with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the fish skin-side down until the skin is marked and crisp, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and grill until just cooked through, 1 to 2 more minutes. Grill the asparagus, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Spoon the pepper sauce onto plates. Top with the fish and asparagus; sprinkle with the parsley.

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 sauté 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. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• * Available at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

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.

BLACK PEPPER CRUSTED FILET MIGNON WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ROASTED RED PEPPER-ANCHO SALSA

Steps:

• Place the ancho chiles in a medium bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Remove the chiles from the soaking liquid, stem and coarsely chop, and combine in a blender with the garlic, pine nuts, honey and 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the bell pepper strips, vinegar, cilantro, salt and pepper. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving.
• Black Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Goat Cheese:
• Heat your grill to high.
• Brush the filets with the oil and season both sides of each filet with the salt and 1 side of each filet with the black pepper. Place the steaks on the grill, pepper side down and grill until lightly charred and crusty, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the steaks over, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes longer for medium-rare.
• Turn the steaks, once more so that the pepper side is facing up and top each filet with a slice of the cheese. Close the cover and grill until the cheese begins to melt slightly, about 1 minute.
• Remove the steaks from the grill, let rest for 5 minutes. Top each filet with the roasted red pepper-ancho salsa. Garnish with cilantro leaves, before serving.