Dried Chilli Peppers

Ive got a batch of some nice dried chlli peppers and I need some help .First do I rehydrate them in hot water and let them sit overnite?Then do I save the water in which they are steeping in for my enchilada sauce?Any input would be most appreciated!

jellybear,

I don't think you'll need to let them soak overnight, start by removing the stems, internal membranes, and seeds, unless you want the sauce to be super spicy. I sometimes think the seeds and membranes not only bring heat to the mix but also a biterness I don't like so I remove them. Give em a good wash under running water, at this point you can tear the chile's into smaller pieces, or just soak the entire chile. Depends a little on what recipe you're making.

Dry em off with a paper towel.

Next, I always roast them a bit in a dry iron skillet, just until they smell good and they've darkened a bit in color, your nose will tell ya when they're ready to soak. Be careful not to burn them, you just want them nice and toasty.

Now you can soak them in just plain hot/boiling water, or a little hot stock to cover, for an hour or so (soaking them longer certainly won't hurt anything especially if you're gonna blend them into a sauce). Once they soften up, you can blend them in a blender for your sauce. Add a bit or all of the soaking liquid to thin the sauce to the consistency you're looking for.

Hope this helps....

Reb, good method.
Our friend didn't say what type of peppers? Their uses vary. I prefer stock to water, like to simmer awhile. Releases flavor into the liquid which I blend with the chiles, enough for good consistency. Spices I like to use are garlic and onion powder, cumin, salt and Mexican oregano, maybe a touch of sugar. From memory thats about it.

roux,

You just described my basic chile sauce recipe! Especially the Mexican oregano, I love that stuff!

Thanks,I will do that!

Jellybear, tell us how it works out.
Low and slow. Don't try to sneak in any of that boiling thing.
If you're in a hurry, Old El Paso cans up a pretty good enchilada sauce. Heatn'eat!

I'm lazy and like hot sauce so I rehydrate in boiling water, remove the stems but not the seeds and blend until smooth w/ an immersion blender.

quote:

Originally posted by rouxdog

If you're in a hurry, Old El Paso cans up a pretty good enchilada sauce. Heatn'eat!

Same for El Pato.

quote:

Originally posted by rouxdog

Reb, good method.
Our friend didn't say what type of peppers? Their uses vary. I prefer stock to water, like to simmer awhile. Releases flavor into the liquid which I blend with the chiles, enough for good consistency. Spices I like to use are garlic and onion powder, cumin, salt and Mexican oregano, maybe a touch of sugar. From memory thats about it.

I have used and have seen used these dried peppers:

- guajillo peppers

- chile negro chilies (aka dried pasilla peppers) - small, reddish-black and wrinkly

- Ancho chilies (aka dried poblano peppers)

- New Mexico and Anaheim chile pods

- Chili Cascabel Pods - small, round and dark

- chipotle peppers (are smoked jalapeños, dry or in adobo)

- chile de arbol peppers

and some other mixes. A combination of all/some of these using the preperation methods above lends the sauce a complex chile flavor, IMHO. Lastly, the chipotle flavor is agressive over other peppers because of it's smoked nature so take it easy at first. Just my $00.02 worth...

PS here's some decent chile information:



http://www.geckogarys.com/aboutpeppers.htm

I think that ALL dried chili pepers are simply WONDERFUL when used properly.

quote:

Originally posted by BunglingBill

I think that ALL dried chili pepers are simply WONDERFUL when used properly.

I totally agree.

also,

I just discovered Manzana peppers! A bit bitter when fresh, flavor reminiscent of habanero -- think it's a cousin of habanero, and a good bite too. I roasted them the other day and it brought out some of the sweetness.

I will try to dry them too.

I have recently discovered morita chilies. They are dried (red) jalapeños, but different from chipotle. Moritas are almost black, wrinkled and smallish, and chipotles are tan and relatively smooth. The flavors differ greatly

I roast and grind different combinations of dried chilies in a search for the perfect chili powder. I have come up with some interesting flavors.

quote:

Originally posted by jellybear

Ive got a batch of some nice dried chlli peppers and I need some help .First do I rehydrate them in hot water and let them sit overnite?Then do I save the water in which they are steeping in for my enchilada sauce?Any input would be most appreciated!

I think it actually depends on what you are making. I've soaked them in hot water (overnight is not necessary) and used them softened. I think I may have been adding them to a sauce. Never used the water they were soaked in. On the other hand, I recently made a tortilla soup with dried pasilla chlles that I toasted dried then put in a blender with tomatoes. So it sorta depends on what you plan to make.

I just use 'em as my own home-made chili powder by grinding 'em in a coffee grinder or small food processor. Most commonly I get the Thai "bird peppers" for this but Chile Japonais or Chile de Arbol works fine too. I like food spicy so I toss a few pinches of this in most everything. The larger varieties would generally be too mild for me, but you can use them powdered instead of commercial chili powders for actual chile con carne and other Tex-Mex foods. In the southwest (where I live part of the year) and in California (where I live the rest of the year), a large variety of powdered chiles are sold in markets but making your own is better of course and the markets all also sell whole ones.

quote:

Originally posted by mad
[Never used the water they were soaked in.

I had a recipe for delicious mole sauce that did call for using the water. As you said, it depends on the recipe.

I made a large pot of chicken stock, much of which will be used for green chili stew. I threw in some morita, guajillo and arbol chilies in for the last 30-45 minutes of boiling. The stock was super hot, but most of the heat was in the oil and fat that floated to the top.

Here's a pretty quick recipe of mine that takes advantage of those dried chiles has some depth to it:

CHICKEN IN CHILE-PEANUT SAUCE

1 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 14 oz. can stewed or diced tomatoes
4 dried New Mexico or guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup dry roasted or other peanuts
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbl olive oil
salt to taste
1 cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket
1 15 oz can of pink beans, red beans, or white cannelloni beans


After you’ve stemmed and seeded the chiles, tear them into pieces and put them in a bowl. Add chopped garlic and onion. Heat broth and pour into bowl to soften chiles. Meanwhile, in a blender, add tomatoes, cilantro, nuts, and cumin. Pull meat from bones and leave in large chunks. Pour broth/chile mixture into the blender and blend on high for two minutes. Heat oil to near smoking in a medium skillet with deep sides. Pour sauce into oil. Be careful; it may spatter at first. Reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Pour out half of the sauce into a bowl and freeze for another batch or use, then add chicken and beans and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve with tortillas and sour cream.