1. Toast the unpeeled garlic until soft and sweet-smelling. Remove from heat source and cool. Pull of the skins and chop roughly. 2. Toast the chiles until skin bubbles. Remove from heat. Put in small bowl of water to rehydrate. Drain. (Use the soak water for the recipe liquid if desired.). 3. Pulverize the oregano, pepper, cumin and close in a spice grinder or mortar. Place in a molcajete or blender. Add the chiles and garlic. 4. Measure in the liquid and blend to a paste. If needed, add more liquid unti everything in the blender is combining but as thick as possible. 5. Remove from blender. (I take the bottom off mine to get the paste out.)This is ready to use in a recipe at this point. Further cooking is necessary to use in canning. 6. To use for canned chiles: 7. Put paste in a bowl and stir in liquid until it's a pourable consistency. 8. Heat an empty very heavy frying pan for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Film the bottom of the pan with a small amount of oil. Test temperature by dropping a little mixture into pan. If it sizzles sharply, the pan is hot enough. 9. Pour all mixture into the pan, don't let the temperature drop. Stir constantly until the mixture has darkened and turned into a thick mass. Usually this takes about 5 minutes. 10. Turn heat down to simmer and add liquid of your choice to the consistency you need. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes ro so to develop flavors. 11. Cool and work through a food mill or push through a sieve until there are no lumps. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nutrition
Ingredients
