Enchilada Sauce - Estilo Guanajuato Salsa Rojo ( Red Sauce Guan

My favorite red sauce! This is wonderful on so many things. Try it as an enchilada sauce, stir into leftover rice for a red rice side, mix with left over shredded roast or chicken, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination! Tangy and slightly spicy with a hint of sweetness. Enjoy this, experiment with it, change it, add to it and make it your own.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 5  dried ancho chiles
• 3  large tomatoes, quartered
• 1  onion, coarsely chopped
• 6  garlic cloves, peeled
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 2  limes, juice of
• 1⁄2 cup broth, any variety or 1⁄2 cup tomato juice
• 1  dried pequin pepper, crumbled
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  green pepper, diced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
•  salt

Directions

1. Remove stem of ancho chilis and tear open to expose seeds and create an open and flat chili. Discard seeds.
2. Place chili one at a time SKIN side down on a SCREAMING HOT skillet or grill pan. The chili should pop and crackle a little as you press it flat and hold it against the scorching hot surface with a metal spatula while you count one cerveza two cerveza three cerveza! Remove from pan and repeat until all chilis are seared. (NOT the pequin tho!).
3. Now place the seared Ancho chilis in 1 cup VERY HOT water and weigh them down with something so they stay submersed. I use a potato masher bc it stands by itself and is easy to remove.
4. Soak chilis for about 15-20 minutes. Drain and discard soaking water.
5. Meanwhile, chop, dice and measure remaining ingredients.
6. In a blender combine drained chilis, chili pequin, tomatoes, garlic, 1 onion- reserve the other to add later, cilantro, sugar, lime juice and broth or juice. Pulse until smooth. (I use what I have on hand. Try to match the broth to whatever dish you are preparing or use V8 or tomato juice.).
7. Heat oil in the skillet used previously or a heavy pot. Add celery, onion, and green pepper and saute until they begin to soften. (I like to keep the pieces rather large, about 1 inch in size.).
8. Remove from heat and pour all ingredients from blender into hot pan. IT WILL splatter and pop! Be careful! Return to burner and whisk over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
9. Reduce heat immediately and continue whisking periodically for about 10 minutes or until sauce is thick.
10. Use immediately or transfer to a glass jar with tight fitting lid, cool and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
11. Note: I have hot packed this into a sterilized glass canning jar. It never lasts long in my house so I do not know how long it keeps.