[Originally shared April 27, 2020]
- 2 dried chipotle (smoky) or guajillo (not smoky) peppers
- 1 ancho pepper
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 3/4 to 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cashews (optional)
Toast peppers in a hot pan until fragrant. Then add to a pot with water enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until softened, then turn off heat. Remove tough stems. You can remove some of the seeds before processing for less heat. Blend garlic, peppers, salt, cashews, and water until puréed. I use the cashews to thicken the sauce but you can omit and thicken with a roux before cooking as my grandma used to.