Ranch-style Sauce (Salsa ranchera)
This is wonderful with fried cauliflower, but I use it in many other ways. It is a great accompaniment to corn fritters or any grilled fish. I use it to make a "red" version of chilaquiles with a light tomato sauce instead of a creamy tomatillo sauce. It is delicious on pasta as well.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lard, preferably
home-rendered or vegetable oil - 2 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 28-ounce can tomatoes choose brand without added puree; do not drain
- 3 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles unseeded, coarsely chopped
- 5 sprigs cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In medium saucepan, heat lard until rippling over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring often. Crush tomatoes with your hand and add to garlic and onion. Add chiles and cilantro; stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool about 10 minutes.
- Working in batches if necessary, puree the mixture in a blender. Return the sauce to a boil when ready to use, stirring often to keep it from sticking.
Notes
Yield: about 4 cups