Ranchero Sauce
By Chef Del Sroufe
There are many versions of this sauce, some more time consuming than others. I prefer simpler recipes that come together easily without sacrificing flavor. This is one of those recipes. It has a long list of ingredients but doesn’t take all day to cook.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 pound plum tomatoes chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
½ cup low sodium vegetable broth or water
½ bunch chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Directions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed, to keep them from sticking to the pan.
- Add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, Ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Add the tomatoes and vegetable broth, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
- Using an immersion blender or regular stand blender, carefully blend the mixture until it reaches the consistency you want. A few pulses for a slightly chunky sauce, or you can puree it until it’s completely smooth.