MEXICAN RED ENCHILADA SAUCE RECIPES

Steps:

• Toast the chiles in a hot pan until fragrant. (about 10 to 15 seconds per side)
• Allow chiles to cool and then remove stems, seeds, and veins.
• Char the onion, tomatoes, and garlic in a hot pan.
• Place the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic oregano and marjoram in a pot with just enough water until the ingredients are almost covered.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
• Simmer for 15 minutes to reconstitute the chiles and soften the veggies.
• Blend the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic, oregano marjoram, and the soaking water until smooth. It usually takes about a minute.
• Add water little by little if necessary to blend. You may have to blend in two batches
• Strain the mixture.
• Add two tablespoons of cooking oil to a hot pan add the strained sauce to fry it.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
• Add salt to taste.
• Allow the sauce to sit for at least 2 hours so that the flavors meld.
• Warm the sauce before serving.

Steps:

• Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the dried chilis.  De-stem and de-seed the chilis, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.  
• Roast the chili pieces for 1-2 minutes in a 400F oven.  Add them to a bowl and cover them with hot tap water.  Let the chilis reconstitute for 20-30 minutes.  If they float to the surface you can use a small bowl or plate to keep them submerged.
• Roast 7-8 plum tomatoes in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes.
• Roughly chop 3 onions and peel 8 garlic cloves.   Add a dollop of oil to a skillet on medium heat and saute the onions and whole garlic cloves until lightly browned. 
• You'll probably have to combine the ingredients in two batches.  Add half of the tomatoes, chilis, onion mixture, and stock to a blender and combine well.  Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve and discard the leftover skin and seed remnants.  You might have to use the back of a spoon to push the sauce through the strainer.  
• Add a dollop of oil to a saucepan on medium heat.  Add the enchilada sauce along with 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper.  Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until it has reduced down to a velvety consistency.  Take a final taste for seasoning. 
• Let the sauce cool and then portion it into 2-cup portions (or larger if you want to, you'll have about 10-12 cups total).  I typically keep a portion in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.  Mason jars and Ziplocs are both good options for storing in the freezer. 
• If you want to make a batch of chicken enchiladas, please see our Ancho Chicken Enchiladas post for details.