Best Ancho Pasilla Sauce Recipes

Ancho Pasilla Sauce image

Yield Makes 2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 6

3 dried ancho chilies (about 2 ounces)
4 dried pasilla chilies (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

Heat a dry griddle or heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and toast chilies, 1 or 2 at a time, pressing down with tongs, a few seconds on each side to make more pliable. Wearing rubber gloves, remove stems, seeds, and veins. In a blender purée chilies with remaining ingredients until completely smooth. Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Grilled Shrimp with Ancho Pasilla Sauce image

Yield Makes 16 to 24 tacos

Number Of Ingredients 8

about 16 bamboo skewers
2 pounds large shrimp (about 48)
1/2 cup Ancho Pasilla Sauce
Accompaniments:
Warm Tortillas
additional Ancho Pasilla Sauce
chopped avocado
chopped white onion

Steps:

Soak skewers in water at least 30 minutes and up to several hours.
Shell and devein shrimp. Holding 2 skewers parallel and slightly apart, thread 6 shrimp onto them (this will facilitate turning them on the grill). Thread remaining shrimp onto pairs of skewers in same manner. Brush both sides of shrimp with ancho pasilla sauce and discard any remaining sauce. Marinate shrimp, covered and chilled, at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
Prepare grill.
Grill shrimp on a well-oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. (Alternatively, shrimp may be broiled on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side.)
Remove shrimp from skewers and serve with accompaniments.