Aji Roja (Peruvian-style red chile sauce)
This is one of two sauces I served with my anticuchos. Aji Roja has a mild chili/smoke flavor and invites generous squirting onto tacos or alongside grilled meats. A Peruvian classic, it’s possibly the inspiration for the “Tacolicious” sauce which is popular at Bay Area taco stands. Makes about 1 ½ cups.
Ingredients:
3 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Half a medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves
¾ c plus 2 T vegetable oil
½ c dried chile de árbol, stemmed (or another medium-hot dried red chile)
½ c water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 t Kosher salt*
Method: broil onion and tomato under low heat (in the middle of the oven, or in a toaster oven), turning occasionally, until nicely charred with most of the liquid evaporated. This will take about 20 minutes. First the tomatoes will put out a lot of liquid, but it will gradually cook away. Meanwhile, sauté garlic in 2 T oil until brown but not burned; add the chiles and cook till darkened a bit, about 10 minutes. Transfer roasted vegetables, garlic and peppers to a blender; add vinegar and water and allow to macerate half an hour or so, then add salt, grind to a paste and macerate some more. Now blend in oil pouring slowly so it completely emulsifies with the vegetables. Serve immediately; leftovers will keep a couple of weeks in refrigerator.
*A gremlin initially made me write 1 T, now corrected.
