Chipotle-Cascabel Salsa With Roasted Tomatoes and Tomatillos

Submitted by Rinshinomori

"The 3rd salsa recipe using dried chiles from Rick Bayless. This salsa gets its smokiness from chipotles and nuttiness from cascabels. Not only that, you also get sweetness from roasted tomatoes and garlic and zestiness from tomatillos - what more can you ask? This is a fabulous salsa with its complex best! I bowed down to Rick Bayless after tasting this salsa. You can sub Guajillo, New Mexico, pequin, arbol, onza, costeno, pulla or passila."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 2 C

ingredients

• 3 dried chipotle chiles
• 3 round dried cascabel chiles
• 1⁄2 lb tomatillo, husked and rinsed (about 6 to 7 medium)
• 1⁄2 lb plum tomato (3 medium)
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1⁄2 cup water (about)
• 1 teaspoon salt (about)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

directions

1. Pull the stems off chiles and place them in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir and press down regularly until chiles have darkened a little in spots and they fill the kitchen with spicy aroma, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Scoop chiles into a bowl and pour very hot water on them and lay a small plate to keep them submerged for no more than 30 minutes.
3. Lay tomatillos and tomatoes on a baking sheet and set the pan 4 inches below the broiler and let broil until they are softened and black in places, about 5 minutes. The skin will split. Flip the tomatillos and tomatoes and roast other side for 5-6 more minutes or so until completely softened and darkened on the other side. Set aside to cool.
4. Turn oven to 425 F and lay onion rings and garlic on a baking pan and bake until onions are deeply golden and garlic soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes. Cool to room temperature.
5. In a blender or food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped but not pasty smooth. Scoop into a bowl.
6. Peel the skin off the cooled tomatoes and cut out the cores but catch all the juices.
7. Place drained chiles, tomatoes with their juices, and tomatillos in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times and let the machine run until everything is finely pureed about 1-2 minutes. Pour this mixture into a bowl with onion and garlic and stir in fresh thyme and enough water to give it an spoonable consistency.
8. Taste, then season with salt and sugar. Use within 5 days or freeze.