Rehydrating Dried

Red Chiles

Picked before they are ripe, the Anaheim or New Mexico chiles are the green chiles we see in the supermarket or purchase as roasted green chiles in a can. Allowed to ripen fully, the chiles turn a deep red. The chiles are then dried. Some are dried on the vine and some are bound into garlands called ristas. Most chiles are intended for food use but some of the ristas, intended for decoration, are sprayed with lacquer or shellac. Most often we find the dried red chiles in the cellophane bags at our local supermarket.

The dried red chiles, reconstituted and pureed, are the basis of red chile dishes, chile con carne, as well as red enchilada sauce. After being pureed, the sauce can be used right away or stored for an extended time, properly packaged, in the freezer.

Preparation Time : 1 hour

Life Experience Recipe

1. As always, when handling chiles, wear rubber gloves and avoid touching the face especially near the eyes. You will need about a dozen dried chiles. Select whole chiles in good condition. Wash under running tepid water. Over an opened newspaper (to catch all the discarded seeds and then roll up and toss away), use a sharp knife and slice the chile open lengthwise. Cut off the stem end and discard. With the fingers, pull the membrane and seeds from the chile. Most of the capsicum is in the membrane. Some of the capsicum is transferred to the seeds. The more seeds and membrane you leave in the chile, the hotter will be the resulting puree.

   

2. Put the chiles in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and slow-simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for a half hour. Dip your finger in the cooled liquid. You should taste the red chile, appreciate its pungency, but it shouldn’t be bitter. If you taste a bitterness, drain the water and replace with a like amount of fresh water.

   

3. Pour the cooled chiles and cooking water into a blender. Process at the highest speed available until you have a smooth puree. Strain the puree through a screen sieve or colander to remove any seeds or dried chile skin. Use a spatula to help the pure through the sieve.

   

4. You now have red chile puree to make your favorite dish. You can use the puree right away or package for the freezer for later use. Certainly a lot more work, the first time, than opening a can of red chile sauce but the improved flavors of your dish will be worth it.

   

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