Jay's Red Chile Sauce

This sauce is the basis for a lot of the Harris family recipes. Keep tasting and adjusting the seasonings to suit yourself. This sauce will keep in your refrigerator for 3-4 weeks easily. Use it for enchiladas, burritos, chili, soups and stews, in burgers, dips, whatever grabs your fancy!
Wash enough dried red New Mexico chile peppers to fill a 5-quart Dutch oven. Add an inch of water; steam 10-15 minutes until peppers are soft. Remove & discard stems. Puree chiles in food processor with remaining water from Dutch oven, adding more water as necessary. Add seasonings* while continuing to puree. Return mixture to Dutch oven, add enough water to make 2-3 quarts of sauce. Simmer 15-20 minutes to blend flavors. (Note: too much cooking at this point will reduce heat of chiles.)
2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons thyme 1 teaspoons sage 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 4-6 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch fresh cilantro 1/2 teaspoon oregano flakes 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon salt (optional) 2 teaspoons MSG (optional)	"Wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili." - Last words of Kit Carson, American frontiersman (1809-1868)

Note: Ingredients are all approximate and to taste; you'll need to experiment to get the taste you want. The result can be anything from a mildly seasoned chile sauce to a chile-based curry. If the sauce doesn't pack enough "heat" for you, toss in a pureed habanera or two to "kick it up a notch." Use red chile sauce* as a marinade for pork (Carne Adovada), use in chili, soups and stews, serve over enchiladas or burritos, etc. Great over refried beans or tamales for a little extra flavor. Add to BBQ sauces or tomato sauces, mix a little with salsa or add to various chip dips. See: Quick & Easy Ways to Use Red Chile Sauce