Chile Oaxaqueño November 20, 2022
Jalapa has the Chile Jalapeño. Havana as its Chile Habanero, Puebla its Chile Poblano, Sierra de Hidalgo its Chile Serrano. But is there a Chile Oaxaqueño?
Not by name, no, but by reputation the honor would likely go to Chile de Agua, a fresh pepper of deceptive heat. Lime-green and slightly smaller than a Chile Poblano, it is, without question, the most common pepper sold at Mercado Benito Juarez, used both in salsas and stuffed as the main dish. Indeed, a Chile Relleno here is almost certainly a stuffed Chile de Agua, in contrast to the darker and milder Chile Poblano one generally might expect.
As a disclaimer, I must admit that I am not a big fan of Chile de Agua, and its stupid name is not the only reason. Midway through my first meal at Escapulario, a legendary Oaxaqueño kitchen on Calle Garcia Vigil, I was fairly overwhelmed by the Chile de Agua, used in both the Rajas and Rellenos, not so much for its fire-burst but the bitter alkaline flavor. This is a caustic pepper gone awry, in my humble opinion. And although bolder tongues may differ, I am not inclined to change my thinking. Chile de Agua may be easy to grow in Oaxaca, but that does not make it easy to eat.
Dried peppers are a different matter in Oaxaca. Pasilla, Ancho, and Guajillo are the most utilized, particularly in classic mole dishes such as Negro, Coloradito, and Amarillo. Enchilada Potosinas, a favorite of Vanessa, usually has Ancho chiles, but our Oaxaqueño version is based on Guajillo chiles. We suggest you start this dish of the day by making the sauce. It is easy to do, the kitchen will smell good, and you will feel better about your efforts going forward.
The Mirasol chile, when dried, is referred to as Guajillo. Along with the red Ancho and the prune-colored Pasilla chiles, the red Guajillo is especially common in the south. The dried pepper is as tough as shoe leather, however, even when de-stemmed, de-seeded, chopped, and boiled for an hour or more. A food processor is therefore necessary to make these chiles digestible, and delicious.
Let us get to the recipe straight away, which is to boil the following ingredients for at least 30 minutes:
1.5-2 cups water
6-8 chopped Guajillo, minus stems and seeds
2 chopped garlic
Tsp salt
Tsp powdered oregano
Tsp cumin
Tsp sugar
Tomato sauce (optional)
Then add 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar or lime juice to the hot mixture, and puree. The color should be reddish-chocolate, the aroma delectable. The sting is equivalent to smokey Chipotle, but less so, allowing it to be dispersed liberally on tortillas for enchiladas. Ours are stuffed today with mashed potato and carrot, but shedded chicken is more typical. The delivery-method employs Oaxaqueño tortillas, which can be as large and stiff as paper plates. Vane’s adaptation is to soften the discs by immersing them in the Guajillo salsa before gently frying.
When we were recently eating breakfast in Tamazulapam, eggs with beans and Guajillo sauce, our chef shared her salsa recipe with us, and it accords with what is presented above, except that she adds tomato to the mixture. We approve the addition of one tomato, or a bit of puree, as a welcomed improvement to our Salsa Guajillo Oaxaqueño. While you are at it, add some cilantro or parsley. But speed is of the essence, as we are hungry, and those leathery tortillas are not getting any softer.