Salsa Roja

• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried California chile, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried Chipotle Meco chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 cup hot water
• 8 plum tomatoes, cut in quarters
• 1 medium Spanish onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 sprigs cilantro
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Juice of 1 lime

PREPARATION:

1. Tear all the chiles into quarters and toast them in a large dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Add the whole spices and continue to toast for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and carefully add about 1 cup of hot water to the skillet to just cover the chiles. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. Preheat the broiler. Spread out the quartered tomatoes, sliced onion, and whole garlic cloves onto a roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs. Broil until everything is nicely charred (even with some black edges), about 10 minutes.

3. Add the chile mixture to a blender and puree. Remove the tomato/onion mixture from the roasting pan (it will be hot) and carefully add it to the blender. Blend until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Once everything is pureed, pour the mixture back into the pot over low heat adding a little water if the salsa is too thick. Stir in the sugar and fresh lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Inspired by: Tyler Florence