Roasted Tomato and Three-Chile Salsa

Ingredients:

2 medium firm-ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut crosswise in 4 slices
5 unpeeled garlic cloves
10 drid cascabel chiles
10 dried arbol chiles, stems removed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
About 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions:

Preheat broiler and set a rack 3 in. from heating element. Line a large rimmed baking pan with foil and put tomatoes, onion, and garlic in it. Broil the vegetables, turning as needed, until browned in spots all over, 15 to 20 minutes transfer to a bowl as done. Let cool.

Meanwhile, wipe dried chiles clean with a damp cloth. Pull out and discard seeds and stems from cascabels (break chiles open a bit if needed). Turn on fan over stove. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add cascabel and arbol chiles, and cook, turning often with a slotted spoon, until slightly softened and darkened in spots, 1 to 2 minutes.

Reserving oil in pan, transfer chiles to a small, deep bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water on top. Let stand until chiles are softened, about 20 minutes. Discard 1 cup liquid.

Whirl chiles and remaining liquid with chipotle in a food processor until very smooth. Cut tomatoes and onion into chunks. Peel garlic. Add vegetables to chile purée and pulse until nearly smooth.

Reheat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chile mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes to blend flavors.

Pour salsa into a bowl and let cool. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with salt.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

From Sunset magazine, June 2009.