Mexican Heritage Cooking, By María Laura Ricaud Solórzano June 16, 2006, Salsa de chile chipotle

In Mexico, the array of salsas (chile sauces) is almost infinite and is a world full of textures, colors and aromas.
Salsas differ depending on the part of the country in which they are prepared, as well as the regional ingredients.

Mexico has 32 states and one federal district, and each one uses its own chiles and spices to season salsas, so you can imagine the wide variety of salsas that exist. In addition to that, every family has its own style of "family salsa," so this can be an endless subject.

The notion that salsas are made only of fresh, minced chiles and vegetables is very far from the truth. Mexican sauces are much more than that.

We can separate salsas into two categories: Those made with fresh chiles and those made with dried chiles. Those made from fresh chiles are common or everyday salsas, since fresh chiles are just another vegetable and are treated the same as any other. The fresher the chiles, the better.

The salsas made from dried chiles are more elaborate and have a delicate, complex flavor.

A basic rule in making sauces is to never use fresh and dried chiles together, and never serve a salsa made of fresh chiles on the same plate with another made of dried chiles.

Starting with dried chiles as the basic ingredient, you can add other ingredients such as tomatoes, tomatillos, onions or garlic, depending on the kind of salsa you are making. To this simpler salsa, you can also add cinnamon, anise, black pepper, cloves, and so on. One type of salsa, adobo, made basically of dried chiles with vinegar, Mexican oregano and garlic, is specifically intended for marinating meats.

One step deeper into this subject we find pipián. This salsa is made with dried chiles and pumpkin seeds, but the name is also given to the salsas with almonds, sesame seeds, peanuts, pecans, or walnuts. It is worthwhile to mention that the most popular pipián-pipián verde (green pipián)-is a delicious exception to the rule because it is made with fresh, not dried, chiles, vegetables, spices and pumpkin seeds.

Finally, the most exquisite and complicated sauce of all: mole. It is an outstanding blend of the two basic cultures in Mexico: pre-Hispanic and Hispanic. This incredible sauce is made of about 30 different ingredients. We can start the list with some of the ingredients mentioned before: different kinds of dried chiles, garlic, onions, tomatoes (sometimes), different spices, various kinds of nuts, plantains, tortillas and bolillo (French bread) fried in lard, and chocolate. Of course, it must be Mexican chocolate, known in the past as the gods' elixir because it was used only by kings and priests. This chocolate is an indispensable ingredient in the mole poblano, a dish from the Mexican state of Puebla.

Now, you can appreciate that the subject of salsas is very complex in a country that likes sauces as much as we do.

Salsa de chile chipotle

3 dried chiles chipotle, toasted, soaked, seeded and deveined
3 roasted roma or plum tomatoes
1 roasted white onion, sliced
1 roasted garlic clove
1 to 2 cups chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon pork lard or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons Mexican sour cream (crema), optional

First, prepare the chiles, then roast the vegetables. Blend the chiles, vegetables and salt with one cup of chicken broth until you have a smooth purée. In a saucepan, heat the pork lard and fry the salsa in it for about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream, if you are using it, after 2 minutes of cooking.

To learn about María's cooking classes, call 152-4376 or go to her website www.traditionalmexicancooking.com.mx