Red Chile Paste Mexican Adobo Recipes

RED CHILE PASTE

Steps:

• Make a slit in each of the ancho chiles and New Mexico chiles with a sharp knife, and remove the seeds and stem. Place the chiles in a large saucepan, and add the chicken stock, onion, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the chiles have softened, about 15 minutes.
• Pour the chile mixture into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the mixture moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the chile mixture right in the cooking pot.

MEXICAN ADOBO - RED CHILE PASTE

Steps:

• Red Chile Adobo Paste: Remove the seeds and veins from the chiles. Heat a skillet over medium heat and roast the chiles on both sides until they begin to release their aroma and soften a bit, about 1 minute (As soon as you begin to smell them, they are ready. If you hesitate, they will have a bitter taste).
• Transfer to a blender and fill with boiling water. Allow the chiles to soak for 30 minutes, making sure to keep them submerged under water. (You may need to wedge the blender top into the opening to help keep the chiles under water.)
• Roast the garlic on the same pan used to toast the chiles over medium heat, turning often until the skin blackens and the garlic begins to smell toasty, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and peel. Set aside.
• Pour the water out of the blender jar, leaving behind the rehydrated chiles. Add the garlic along with cinnamon, bay leaf, cumin, pepper, oregano, salt, and vinegar and puree until smooth. (You may need to pulse and scrape down the mixture a few times to get the puree started.).

RED CHILE PASTE (MEXICAN ADOBO)

Steps:

• Roast and Soak the Chiles
• Cut or tear the chiles into flat pieces and remove the seeds and veins. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and roast the chiles on both sides until they begin to release their aroma and soften up a bit, about 1 minute.
• Transfer to a blender and fill with boiling water. Allow the chiles to soak for 30 minutes, making sure to keep them submerged under water. (You may need to wedge the blender top into the opening to help keep the chiles under water.)
• Roast the Garlic
• Return the same skillet used to toast the chiles to the stove and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and roast, turning often, until the skin blackens and the garlic begins to smell toasty, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and peel. Set aside.
• Puree the Mixture
• Pour the water out of the blender jar, leaving behind the rehydrated chiles. Add the garlic along with cinnamon, bay leaf, cumin, pepper, oregano, salt, and vinegar and puree until smooth. (You may need to pulse and scrape down the mixture a few times to get the puree started.)
• Serve or Store
• Transfer to a serving bowl if using right away, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate if storing.
• COOKING NOTES
• INGREDIENTS
• Handling Chiles
• If you have sensitive hands, you may want to wear rubber gloves when handling chiles. If you chose to work with them with bare hands, make sure to wash your hands well before touching your eyes or other sensitive skin.
• TECHNIQUES
• Roasting Chiles
• Although you may not think it makes a difference, dry roasting or toasting dried chiles before rehydrating them adds an incredible richness to their flavor. However, you must be careful not to burn them, which will result in an undesirable bitter flavor.
• Since the chiles are dark, you cannot rely on their color to tell you if they are ready. Instead pay attention to their aroma and texture. As soon as they begin to release their scent and become soft and pliable, they are ready.
• ADVANCE PREPARATION
• This paste can be made well in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps almost indefinitely.

ADOBO DE CHILE

Steps:

• Toast the unpeeled garlic until soft and sweet-smelling. Remove from heat source and cool. Pull of the skins and chop roughly.
• Toast the chiles until skin bubbles. Remove from heat. Put in small bowl of water to rehydrate. Drain. (Use the soak water for the recipe liquid if desired.).
• Pulverize the oregano, pepper, cumin and close in a spice grinder or mortar. Place in a molcajete or blender. Add the chiles and garlic.
• Measure in the liquid and blend to a paste. If needed, add more liquid unti everything in the blender is combining but as thick as possible.
• Remove from blender. (I take the bottom off mine to get the paste out.)This is ready to use in a recipe at this point. Further cooking is necessary to use in canning.
• To use for canned chiles:.
• Put paste in a bowl and stir in liquid until it's a pourable consistency.
• Heat an empty very heavy frying pan for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Film the bottom of the pan with a small amount of oil. Test temperature by dropping a little mixture into pan. If it sizzles sharply, the pan is hot enough.
• Pour all mixture into the pan, don't let the temperature drop. Stir constantly until the mixture has darkened and turned into a thick mass. Usually this takes about 5 minutes.
• Turn heat down to simmer and add liquid of your choice to the consistency you need. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes ro so to develop flavors.
• Cool and work through a food mill or push through a sieve until there are no lumps.

RED CHILE PASTE

Steps:

• 1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles, pressing flat with a spatula and turning, about 8 to 10 seconds per side, or until aromatic and slightly blistered. Do not burn. Submerge the chiles in a bowl of hot water and soak about 25 to 30 minutes. 2. Toast the garlic cloves in the same skillet about 2 minutes, until some brown spots appear, and the garlic softens a little, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the papery skin. Drain the chiles and put in a blender with the garlic. Add the other ingredients and 1/4 cup of water. Purée until smooth. If the blender stalls, add only enough water to keep the blades working. Scrape down the sides of the blender jar often, and continue to blend. (The adobo should be thick and smooth with the consistency of thick ketchup.) Scrape the adobo into a container. The adobo is ready to use. The paste can be kept refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks, or frozen up to 3 months. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.