This is Mark Nohl’s traditional recipe made from whole dry red chile pods, the kind that hang on every door-side ristra in New Mexico or are bought in big plastic bags at supermarkets and roadside stands.
Wash and remove seeds, stems, and white veins (the more seeds and veins you leave in, the hotter the sauce will be). Place pods in a large kettle and cover with boiling water. Cook the pods until they become plump and tender. Remove pods and run them through your blender or processor (in the old days they used a food mill or fruit press). Strain the mixture to remove pieces of skin and stray seeds. Add some of the water you used to cook the pods in order to get the consistency of tomato paste. To this add 3 tablespoons fat, several cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes. This is your basic red chile sauce and is the smoothest you can make. To this you can add pinto beans, meat, onions, or tomatoes to construct your favorite New Mexico recipes, or use as is to go over burritos or enchilada plates.
RED CHILE SAUCE II
3 tablespoons olive oil or lard
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup New Mexico chile powder
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups water
salt to taste
Saute the garlic in oil. Blend in flour and chile powder quickly with a wooden spoon. (Be careful not to burn the chile.) Blend in water and cook to desired consistency, adding more water as desired. If you have stock instead of water, so much the better. Add salt to taste.