Tomatillo–Árbol Chile Salsa

Name: Tomatillo–Árbol Chile Salsa
Yield: makes 4 cups
Ingredients: 9 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and blackened (page 164); 6 small Roma tomatoes, blackened (page 164); 10 dried de árbol chiles, stemmed, with seeds; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar; 2 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground (page 164); 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, toasted (page 161); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon peanut oil

January 26, 2012

This sauce is offered at most taco stands throughout Mexico and is probably the one most widely served with tacos. Chile de árbol—literally “treelike”—is searingly hot, with a smoky, grassy flavor, but its heat is tamed slightly in this recipe by the tomatoes. A variation using serranos follows.

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