Red Chile Sauce

Use this sauce as a condiment, a zesty addition to salad dressings or in any Southwestern dish that calls for a red sauce.

Ingredients:

•12 dried whole red New Mexican, Guajillo, Pasilla or Ancho chiles

•1 large onion, chopped

•3 cloves garlic, chopped

•3 cups water

Remove stems and seeds from peppers and crumble the pods into a saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chiles are soft. Puree in a blender or a food processor and strain. Can be simmered on the stove again, if necessary until it is reduced to the desired consistency.