We’re starting to dizzy from the fresh garden tomato high over here at Furrow & Trowel. By the end of August, most Colorado annual food gardeners feel the burn of ambitious spring garden plans when our well-loved plants offer next-level bumper crops. When it comes to "too much of a good thing" with tomatoes, I break out several standby recipes in August when the fruit is top notch. This Mexican-influenced sauce is my #1 choice when it comes to tomato sauce preservation.
A few years ago, I came across a red enchilada recipe that I could prepare and preserve in the summer and enjoy during the autumn and winter when I crave warm, comforting meals. It’s now my go-to red enchilada sauce each summer when I make it with in-season heirloom Black from Tula tomatoes; the fruit’s sweet and tangy flavor profile plays well with dried chilis and smoky chipotle chili powder.
If you’re looking for a recipe to capitalize on a prolific tomato harvest this summer, you won’t be disappointed here. This summer I’ve already made five batches of the recipe, devoting 25 pounds of my tomato harvest to the preservation endeavor. I don’t claim it’s “authentic,” but if you love a tomato-forward sauce, you won’t be disappointed.
Red Enchilada Sauce Makes 8 to 10 cups
Ingredients
5 dried chilis like ancho or guajillo, seeds removed and discarded, stemmed, and torn into pieces
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup water
1 medium onion, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sea salt
5 pounds fresh tomatoes (a mix of heirlooms if on hand), cored and chopped coarsely
Directions
Toast dried chilis, chili powder, coriander, and cumin in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in water, onion, garlic, and salt and cook until onions and dried chilis are softened and water has evaporated, about 9 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until mixture measures between 8 and 10 cups, about 15-20 minutes.
Working in batches, process mixture in blender until very smooth, about 1 minute. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, pressing solids with spoon to extract as much juice as possible. You can discard solids. (I add mine to the compost bin.)
Allow the sauce to cool until warm and place into quart-size freezer bag to freeze immediately. (I usually set aside two cups of sauce in a pint jar and refrigerate to use in an enchilada recipe later in the week.) I recommend using the frozen sauce within the next six months for best flavor, but you can easily store in freezer for up to a year.