Depending on where you are, red enchilada sauce may also be called salsa roja or mole rojo.
More good stuff from the Mexican Food Journal.
What you need
8 ancho chiles (mild fruity dried chili pods)
4 pasilla chiles (mild fruity dried chili pods)
1 medium onion quartered
2 plum tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
- Toast the chiles in a hot pan until fragrant. (about 10 to 15 seconds per side)
- Allow chiles to cool and then remove stems, seeds, and veins.
- Char the onion, tomatoes and garlic in a hot pan.
- Place the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic oregano and marjoram in a pot with just enough water until the ingredients are almost covered.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for 15 minutes to reconstitute the chiles and soften the veggies.
- Blend the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic, oregano marjoram and the soaking water until smooth. It usually takes about a minute.
- Add water little by little if necessary to blend. You may have to blend in two batches. Strain the mixture.
- Add two tablespoons of cooking oil to a hot pan add the strained sauce to fry it.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Add salt to taste.
Allow the sauce to sit for at least 2 hours so that the flavors meld. Warm the sauce before serving.