1 medium yellow or white onion, peeled and cut in half
2 ripe tomatoes, halved
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 cups boiling water or chicken broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Small piece of semi-sweet chocolate (optional)
Instructions
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high. Place chilies on the skillet and heat until they are soft. Don’t burn them or the sauce will be bitter
Place the tomatoes, onions and garlic in the pan and roast for 10-20 minutes turning occasionally. They can get pretty black and charred.
Using gloves, remove the stems from the peppers. Slice the peppers open and remove and discard all of the seeds and the veins. Place the peppers in a bowl.
Pour 4 cups boiling water over the peppers, cover the bowl and let them sit for 20-30 minutes until soft.
Place the peppers and their liquid along with the onion, tomato, garlic and all remaining ingredients (except for the chocolate if using) in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
Note: At this point determine for yourself whether your sauce needs to be strained. I use a Vitamix blender which does an excellent job of blending the sauce to a very smooth puree, so I don’t bother straining it.
Heat a tablespoon or so of oil to a pot then add red sauce. Simmer it uncovered for about 30 minutes. Add a little more water if you prefer it thinner. The sauce should be the thickness of heavy cream.
Optional: For an added flavor touch, add a small piece of semi-sweet chocolate at the end and stir until melted.
If the sauce is very bitter, add a touch of brown sugar. SEE NOTE.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze it for several months. I like to freeze about a cup of it per freezer bag so I can conveniently grab a bag as needed.
Makes about 5 cups.
