Ole! Chile Relleno Sauce

• BASIC RECIPE
• corn oil↗1⁄3 cup
• medium onion, chopped↗1
• garlic cloves, chopped↗4
• flour↗1⁄3 cup
• fresh ripe roma tomatoes, pureed↗1 1⁄2 cups
• seeded fresh jalapeno pepper, pureed↗1
• water (not broth!)↗5 cups
• salt↗2 teaspoons
• Mexican oregano, crushed↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons
• finely ground black pepper↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• small bay leaf↗1
• OPTIONAL (USE SMALL PINCHES)
• ground cinnamon↗1 pinch
• ground cloves↗1 pinch

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   HEAT 1/3 cup corn oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; CHOP 1 medium onion together with 4 cloves of garlic in a food processor; SAUTE the onion and garlic mixture in the corn oil until translucent and golden, and almost caramelized.

2. 2

   ADD 1/3 cup flour to the saute mixture; STIR the mixture as it cooks, until it is deep golden in color (mixture will be paste-like).

3. 3

   PLACE into the large bowl of a food processor enough fresh ripe Roma tomatoes to yield approximately 1 1/2 cups pureed, and one stem-removed seeded fresh jalapeno pepper; PROCESS both until pulverized.

4. 4

   TRANSFER the sauteed onion and garlic roux from the saucepan into the bowl of the food processor with the tomatoes and jalapeno, submerging the into the pulverized mixture first.

5. 5

   PROCESS until all ingredients until finely pureed.

6. 6

   POUR pureed mixture into the same medium saucepan.

7. 7

   STIR in 5 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed Mexican oregano (crush between fingers) 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, and 1 small bay leaf.

8. 8

   BRING mixture to boiling while whisking; REDUCE heat to medium and cook for about 45 minutes, whisking occasionally, or until desired consistency is reached; COVER slightly vented so steam can escape; KEEP sauce warm over lowest heat, whisking occasionally until served, or reheat and stir before serving.

9. 9

   POUR a small pool of warmed sauce onto chile relleno serving plate; PLACE chile relleno over sauce; TOP chile relleno with additional sauce; GARNISH as desired; SERVE.

10. 10

    SNAP your fingers and shout,"OLE!".