Fried Potatoes With Chile Sauce

From the Border Cookbook, posted for ZWT 3, Mexico. Prep time does not include time needed to bake/boil potatoes. Make sure your dry chiles are mild - this is very spicy if you use the hot kind (I know this from personal experience!) As Kittencal said in her review, the sauce benefits from a day's chilling and flavor-blending time. (Note: When I made it with the really hot chiles, I added some tomato paste and a bit of sugar to the mix, which turned out fine.)

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4  baking potatoes (boiled or baked till tender)
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup red chili sauce (recipe included)
• 4  ounces  grated asadero cheese (or monterey jack)

• garnish

•  sour cream
•  green onion
•  cilantro

• Chile Sauce (makes 4 cups)

• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 3  tablespoons  fine textured  dried breadcrumbs
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons oregano
• 1⁄2 cup  ground  dried mild red chili peppers
• 5  cups water
• 2  tablespoons vinegar, preferably cider
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Chile sauce:
2. in a large heavy saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat. sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and brown briefly.
3. add the garlic, oregano and chile.
4. stir in the water slowly to avoid lumps and add the vinegar and salt.
5. bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
6. cook the sauce for 20-25 minutes.
7. set aside. (the sauce can be made ahead. will keep refrigerated for 5 days and freezes well).
8. potatoes:
9. heat the broiler.
10. peel the cooked potatoes, if you wish. Slice the potatoes into thick rounds.
11. in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet, warm the oil over medium high heat. add the onion and garlic and saute till the onion is translucent.
12. stir in the potatoes, reduce the heat to medium, and fry until the potatoes are crisp and a little browned. (I like mine more than a little browned, but fix them the way you like.).
13. pour the chile sauce over the potatoes and scatter the cheese over the top.
14. place the potatoes under the broiler just long enough for the cheese to melt.
15. serve immediately, topped with sour cream, green onions or cilantro if you wish.