Salsa de Chile Pasilla de Oaxaca

With a bag of ash from Teotitlan del Valle and a bag of smoked chilie pasilla de Oaxaca, I'm picking up where I left off in December.

It's time.

The smoked chilie pasilla is a unique chile in Oaxaca, available nowhere else. The ones I picked up last trip are small to medium in size. They impart a smokey aroma to the air. Lovely.

While the tomatillos cooked on the stove, I heated the ash in a cast iron pan.

Once I could detect adequate heat, I tossed the chilies in, buried them and turned them around in the ash.

Miraculously, gratefully, the chilies puffed up.

I shook them of excess ash, and soaked them in hot water to make them pliable but not falling apart.

The cooked tomatillos were drained and cooled, waiting for their turn in the blender.

Remove the stems, seeds and inner membrane from the chilies, place in the blender with the garlic and a bit of the soaking liquid to loosen the blender. Blend until smooth.

I realize the photo above is not very appetizing but I want you to understand the texture.

Next, tomatillos are blended until smooth, and the two mixtures are stirred together. Salt to taste.

You don't really need ash to make this recipe, but it's a fun party trick, or something you could make when the barbecue coals are still hot. If it imparts a distinct flavour, it's subtle. The chilies can also be lightly toasted on a comal or in a cast iron griddle and then soaked.

The recipe is simple:

1 pound of tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cooked

4 to 5 chilie pasillas, cooked in ash or on a comal

1 to 2 medium garlic clove

salt to taste

The salsa has an elegant smokey heat with a slight sweetness perfect on grilled meats or shrimp or alone as an accompaniment with tostadas or chips.