Recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless
Essential Sweet-and-Spicy Ancho Seasoning Paste
- Level: Easy
- Yield: About 1 cup
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 184
- Total Fat
- 5
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 33
- Dietary Fiber
- 13
- Sugar
- 0
- Protein
- 8
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 253
Ingredients
8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
8 medium (about 4 ounces total) dried Ancho chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, whole or freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole or freshly ground
A scant 1/4 teaspoon cloves, whole or freshly ground
2/3 cup beef, chicken or fish broth (even vegetable broth or water), whichever is appropriate for the dish you're going to use the adobo in, plus a little more if needed
Salt, about 1 teaspoon
Directions
- The garlic and chiles: Set a heavy ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay the unpeeled garlic on the hot surface and let it roast to a sweet mellowness, turning occasionally, until soft when pressed between your fingers (you'll notice it has blackened in a few small spots), about 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the papery skins and roughly chop.
- While the garlic is roasting, break the stems of the chiles, tear the chiles open and remove the seeds. Next, toast the chiles a few at a time on you medium-hot skillet or griddle: Open them flat, lay them on the hot surface skin-side up, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (if the temperature is right you'll hear a faint crackle), then flip them. (If pressed long enough, they'll have changed to a mottled tan underneath. If you see a slight wisp of smoke, that's okay, but any more will mean burnt chiles.) Now, press down again to toast the other side. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure even soaking. Pour off all the water and discard.
- The seasoning: If using whole spices, pulverise the oregano, pepper, cumin and cloves in a spice grinder or mortar, then transfer to a food processor or blender, along with the drained chiles and garlic. Measure in the broth and process to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds. (If you're using a blender and the mixture won't move through the blades, add more broth, a little at a time, until everything is moving, but still as thick as possible.) With a rubber spatula, work the puree through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard the skins and seeds that remain behind in the strainer. Taste (it'll have a rough, raw edge to it), then season with salt.