Chile Colorado Sauce

Chile Colorado (sometimes spelled Chili Colorado) is a Mexican dish featuring a red sauce and tender pieces of beef. It is also used to describe a rojo sauce. Ancho, Pasilla and Guajillo chiles are typical of a rojo sauce.


2 Dried Pasilla chilies (dried form of the Chilaca chile), stemmed, de-ribbed, seeded

2 Dried Ancho (dried poblano pepper) chilies, stemmed, de-ribbed, seeded

Optional smoky dried chipotle peppers
Optional aji amarilli powder

4 Cups chicken bone broth

2 Cloves garlic

Optional, 1 White onion, minced

5 Tablespoon lard or rendered fatback
5 Tablespoon flour

1 Teaspoon vinegar

Salt

Optional 1 or more teaspoons of sugar - (see text)
Optional put two teaspoon of quality beef bouillion powder for increased flavor¹

Wash then toast damp chilies on a dry hot griddle until just fragrant making sure they don’t burn and become bitter (30~40 seconds). Cover with hot water, soak an hour. Drain and discard water. Use a blender, add softened chilies, garlic and chicken broth and blend very smooth. Sieve through a fine strainer. Mince onion and sauté in lard until soft. Stir in flour, stir and cook 5 minutes on medium. Add chiles and cook 15 minutes or more. Cooking removes grainy texture. Optional put two teaspoon of quality beef bouillion powder to taste. Correct seasoning. Add a small touch of sugar (1 teaspoon) if any bit­terness is detected.

Notes:
1. A beef flavor is for a more Tex-Mex version.

Favorite Quotes

Some favorite quotes on dinning or cooking are fun to share. I have many throughout my cookbook.

Additional motivation came to me after having read “Ma Gastronomie” about the cooking of world class chef Fernand Point written by his wife quite a while after he died. The book is outstanding but sadly is missing many of the fabulous dishes we had at his five star “La Pyramide” in Vienne, France. Fernand Point was a recognized genius in France who won the world’s heart with his cuisine. 

The great chef Fernand Point wrote: “Cookbooks are as alike as brothers. The best

one is the one you write yourself.”

Cooks who do not love their patrons should not be allowed in the kitchen.

There is no excuse possible for bad soup.

A quick sign of more bad cusine to follow is poor bread. 

I always taste the vegetables first, if these are perfect one can look forward to a great meal.

Dinning is about great food and great company. 

Best cooks are those cooking with passion!

Peaches in a Crust (Single Servings)

In the search for mango alternatives, I discovered that peaches have a similar texture. I made successful chutney using frozen peaches. My exuberance left the freezer with several pounds of frozen peaches that were begging to grace the dessert menu. Why not make a simple pie in an individual serving size. Prior experience suggested that a small pie bakes in 25 minutes.

2~3 tablespoons butter

2~3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 pound frozen peaches

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

1 piecrust, rolled out (frozen pie crust is fine)

2 Teaspoon Demerara sugar

Melt butter in a frying pan, add sugars. When well heated, add peaches. Cook mixture and toss a few minutes. Add spices and a pinch of salt. Taste peaches. If not tart enough, add a bit of lemon juice. Split peaches into two oven safe Pyrex bowls. Cover top of peaches with a pie crust. Cut a slit in the middle of the pies to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle crust with Demerara sugar crystals.

Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve very warm. Good with whipped cream.