Hatch Red Chili Sauce

This is the recipe used by the Messilla Valley Chili Company in Hatch, New Mexico. It may be frozen.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 2 cups (approximately)

Ingredients

• 12  dried  hatch chiles, medium (Mesilla Valey) or 12  hatch chiles, hot (Mesilla Valey)
• 3 1⁄2 cups water
• 2  garlic cloves, whole
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 1  tablespoon flour
• 1  teaspoon oregano leaves, dried, crushed

Directions

1. Rinse chile pods, remove stems and seeds.
2. Place water and pods in a pan and heat to boiling.
3. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until pods are soft and pulpy (about 20 minutes).
4. Remove pods and place in a blender, setting aside cooking liquid.
5. (Add salt, garlic gloves & Oregano in blender at this time as well -- ).
6. Run through blender until pods form a smooth paste.
7. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsps. oil.
8. Add flour and brown lightly.
9. Remove from heat, add chiles to flour mixture, contining to stir until lumps are dissolved.
10. Return to heat, stir enough of the cooking liquid to make a gravy like consistency.
11. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
12. May be frozen for future use.