Cascabel Chile Sauce Recipes

CASCABEL SALSA

Steps:

• Break the peppers into pieces for a better roasting. Slightly roast the peppers on a medium hot griddle, turning the peppers to have an even roasting. Turn frequently to avoid burning the peppers. This step will take about 1-2 minutes.
• Once you roast the peppers, place them in a small saucepan with 2 cups of hot water to soak for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft.
• Meanwhile, roast the tomatillos on the hot griddle, and once they are roasted, wrap them in an aluminum foil to keep warm while the peppers are soaking.
• Place tomatillos, softened peppers, garlic clove, and ½ cup of water into your blender pitcher and process until you have a smooth sauce. If you like, you can also puree the sauce in a food processor to give the salsa a coarse texture. Season with salt and pepper.

GRILLED LAMB PORTERHOUSE WITH FIG-CASCABEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush chops on both sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the grill or grill pan and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over the chops and continue grilling to medium doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
• Ladle some of the sauce into the center of each dinner plate. Place 2 chops per order in the center of the sauce and drizzle the edges of the meat with some more of the sauce. Garnish with parsley leaves.
• Place figs in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit until softened, approximately 30 minutes. Place the softened figs in a food processor with 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid and process until smooth.
• Combine the vinegar and port wine in a medium nonreactive saucepan and reduce by half over high heat. Add the sugar, orange juice, and fig puree and reduce by half again, stirring occasionally.
• Combine the chile puree and chicken stock in another saucepan and reduce by half over high heat. Add the reduced vinegar-fig mixture to the chicken stock mixture along with a touch of honey and reduce by half again, stirring occasionally. Strain the mixture into a clean medium saucepan and reduce to a sauce consistency.

ROASTED TOMATO CASCABEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange cascabel chilies on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven for approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and remove and discard stems and seeds. Place them in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and allow chilies to rehydrate. Remove chilies from water (reserving water), put into a blender and puree with a little of reserved water. Set aside. Raise oven heat to Broil Arrange halved tomatoes and tomatillos cut side down on another sheet pan and place under broiler until skins blacken. Turn them once to heat evenly. Reserve. In a hot grill pan or cast iron skillet, grill red onion slices and garlic until marked and softer. Reserve. To a saucepan over medium hot heat add cascabel puree, tomatoes, tomatillos, red onion, garlic, chipotle puree, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. In a blender, blend mixture until desired consistency. Check seasoning.

CASCABEL CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet or on a comal over medium heat, turning, until aromatic and pliable, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cool then cut the chiles open and remove the seeds and veins. Save about 1/2 teaspoon of seeds to toast, and discard the remaining seeds. Cut the chiles into pieces and put into a spice grinder. (I use a coffee grinder reserved for spices.) 2. Toast the chile seeds in the dry skillet until they just begin to color, about 2 minutes. Add them to the spice grinder and grind the chiles and seeds to a coarse powder. Transfer to a blender with the chopped tomato, garlic, and salt. Blend to a coarse sauce. Transfer to a bowl and serve as a table sauce. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH CASCABEL CHILE AIOLI MARINADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place roasting pan on stove and heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Pat tenderloin with paper towels.
• Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
• Place in roasting pan with oil and roast in oven (or in a hot, covered grill).
• While meat cooks, toast Cascabel chile in a small skillet over high heat,.
• turning pieces once, until blistered and fragrant. I recommend using a Cascabel chili as it has a tangy medium hot flavor.
• Let cool until brittle.
• Using a mortar and pestle, pound chile into a powder.
• Mix powder in medium bowl with remaining ingredients to create the aioli.
• Remove meat from oven or grill after 25 to 30 minutes, or when internal temperature is in the 130 to 150 degree range. Because you are using such a hot oven, you may want to check the internal temperature of the meat as the 25 minute mark approaches to make sure you don't overcook it.
• Let rest 10 to 15 minutes.
• Slice and serve with aioli on the side.

CASCABEL CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet or on a comal over medium heat, turning, until aromatic and pliable, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cool then cut the chiles open and remove the seeds and veins. Save about 1/2 teaspoon of seeds to toast, and discard the remaining seeds. Cut the chiles into pieces and put into a spice grinder. (I use a coffee grinder reserved for spices.) 2. Toast the chile seeds in the dry skillet until they just begin to color, about 2 minutes. Add them to the spice grinder and grind the chiles and seeds to a coarse powder. Transfer to a blender with the chopped tomato, garlic, and salt. Blend to a coarse sauce. Transfer to a bowl and serve as a table sauce. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CHIPOTLE-CASCABEL SALSA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND TOMATILLOS

Steps:

• Pull the stems off chiles and place them in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir and press down regularly until chiles have darkened a little in spots and they fill the kitchen with spicy aroma, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Scoop chiles into a bowl and pour very hot water on them and lay a small plate to keep them submerged for no more than 30 minutes.
• Lay tomatillos and tomatoes on a baking sheet and set the pan 4 inches below the broiler and let broil until they are softened and black in places, about 5 minutes. The skin will split. Flip the tomatillos and tomatoes and roast other side for 5-6 more minutes or so until completely softened and darkened on the other side. Set aside to cool.
• Turn oven to 425 F and lay onion rings and garlic on a baking pan and bake until onions are deeply golden and garlic soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• In a blender or food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped but not pasty smooth. Scoop into a bowl.
• Peel the skin off the cooled tomatoes and cut out the cores but catch all the juices.
• Place drained chiles, tomatoes with their juices, and tomatillos in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times and let the machine run until everything is finely pureed about 1-2 minutes. Pour this mixture into a bowl with onion and garlic and stir in fresh thyme and enough water to give it an spoonable consistency.
• Taste, then season with salt and sugar. Use within 5 days or freeze.