Salsa Borracho

Ingredients:

2-4 dried New Mexico chiles
1 dried ancho chile
3 firm-ripe tomatoes (3/4 pound total), cored
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh jalapeño chili
1 to 2 Tbsp. tequila
salt
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

1. Bake the dried chiles in a rimmed pan in a 250F oven until they are fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Cool the chiles briefly, then break off and discard the stems. Shake out and discard the seeds. Place the chiles in a bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let them stand until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, broil the tomatoes in a rimmed pan about 4″ from the heat, turning as needed, until charred, 5-8 minutes. Let the tomatoes cool.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the soaked chiles to a blender or food processor. Puree the chiles until smooth, adding about 3 Tbsp. of the soaking water to blend smoothly. Discard the remaining water.

4. Add the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, and fresh chile to the blender . Whirl until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Season to taste with tequila and salt, then stir in the cilantro.

Yields about 2 cups.

Recipe from Sunset Magazine, July 1997.