ancho chile

Looking for a cookie that leans savory? How about a deconstructed Mexican mole visually inspired by the Mesoamerican pyramids? Hold these cookies up to the light to appreciate the stained-glass effect of the dried fruit. And inside? Chocolate, hazelnuts, the subtle burn of ancho chile…

Ancho Mole Cookies

(140 g) nuts (such

(185 g;

(256 g) all-purpose flour

baking powder

cinnamon

Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

(100 g) sugar

kosher salt

vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

(130 g) dried fruit (such

(110 g) bittersweet chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao)

Bon Appétit

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Toast nuts and ¼ cup sesame seeds on a rimmed baking sheet on upper rack, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

Stir together ancho powder and agave syrup in a small bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape in ancho mixture and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. Add dried fruit, chocolate, and toasted nuts and sesame seeds; mix with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed.

Divide dough in half. Working one at a time, roll each piece into a 10"-long log. Wrap each log tightly in plastic and roll across work surface to make as smooth and cylindrical as possible. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze until surface is firm, about 20 minutes.

Slap a log down onto counter to create a flat side; roll over and slap again to flatten another side (you’re aiming for a triangular shape). Repeat to create third side of the triangle. Tap against counter to smooth if needed, then tap ends to flatten. Repeat with second log. Return logs to baking sheet; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Working one at a time, unwrap logs and brush sides with egg white. Working on baking sheet, sprinkle sides with remaining 1 cup sesame seeds and gently press to coat. Surface should be covered; use more sesame if needed. Freeze logs on baking sheet, uncovered, until surface is very firm but not frozen solid, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Slice a log crosswise into ¼"-thick triangles and divide cookies between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. (If dough is soft or starts to lose its shape, freeze 10 minutes before continuing.) Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and back to front halfway through, until edges are just set, about 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets. Transfer cookies to a platter or airtight container and line baking sheets with fresh sheets of parchment paper. Repeat process with remaining dough.

Do Ahead: Dough can be rolled into logs 3 days ahead; refrigerate. Transfer to freezer 30 minutes before slicing. Cookies can be baked 1 day ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

This meaty beef chili recipe uses whole chiles for a complex flavor, boneless beef chuck for its fat content, and a touch of beer—because you're drinking some anyway. 

Beef Chili

ancho chiles

guajillo chiles

pasilla chiles

olive oil

beef chuck,

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

yellow onions, chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

cumin

oregano

tomatoes

dark brown sugar

lager

apple cider vinegar

Toppings corn

It’s faster and easier to brown the meat in larger pieces first and chop them afterward. Using intact dried chiles instead of jarred powders contributes a more complex flavor and a saturated color. Adding lager imparts just the right amount of bitterness, rounding out the chiles. This is a part of our Super Bowl party menu—see the rest of the recipes here.

Remove seeds from ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chiles and place in a medium bowl. Pour in 3 cups boiling water and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap; let sit until chiles are softened, 20–25 minutes. Transfer chiles and soaking liquid to a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Season beef all over with salt and pepper. Working in 2–3 batches, cook, turning pieces once, until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium; add onions and garlic to pot. Cook, stirring often to loosen browned bits from bottom of pot, until onions are translucent and very soft, 6–8 minutes. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, until spices start to stick to pot, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and brown sugar and scrape bottom of pot to loosen spices, then add lager. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until beer is almost completely evaporated, 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut beef into ½" pieces, discarding any large bits of fat or gristle.

Add beef, reserved chile purée, and 2 cups water to pot; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, until liquid is thickened and meat is very tender, 1½–2 hours. Taste chili and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Divide chili among bowls and top as desired.

Do Ahead: Chili can be made 4 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat gently over low, stirring occasionally, and adding a splash of water to loosen if needed.

Everything you love about Mexican street corn—the charred kernels, the creamy-spicy-salty sauce, lots of lime—without the grill.

Elote

corn

mayonnaise

sour cream

Cotija cheese (about 4 oz.), divided

tsp. ancho chile powder,

kosher salt,

cilantro leaves

garlic

limes

We love charred, mayo-slathered corn too much to have it only when the grill's fired up. This indoor-friendly stovetop method gets you those blackened, juicy-yet-crisp kernels without the charcoal. While the cobs might not be as smoky as what you'd get from grilling, the deeply toasted flavor of ancho chile powder helps compensate. If you can't find ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder or the hotter cayenne chile powder will work (but start with just 1/2 tsp. and scale up slowly—it's spicy). Chili powder will also work, although it's usually mixed with other ingredients like garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin, so read the ingredient list to know what you're getting.

Husk 4 ears of corn, removing any silk. Snap off any ends (they're technically called "shanks"!) that are still attached so that the cobs will fit inside a large cast-iron skillet.

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-high until very hot, about 4 minutes. You want the pan to super hot when you add the cobs so that they start to char right away. Arrange corn cobs in a single layer in skillet and cook, turning with tongs every 3–4 minutes, until charred in lots of places but not totally blackened, 15–20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, whisk ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup grated Cotija, 2 tsp. ancho chile powder, and ½ tsp. salt in a 9x5" loaf pan.

Finely chop 1 cup cilantro leaves (you should get about 3 Tbsp. when you're finished). Set aside 1 Tbsp. cilantro for serving. Add remaining cilantro to mayonnaise mixture. Grate 1 garlic clove into mayonnaise mixture using a Microplane and whisk to combine. Finely grate zest of 1 lime into mayo, then slice down the center and squeeze in the juice of half. Cut remaining 1½ limes into wedges; set aside for serving.

Using tongs, roll corn in mayonnaise mixture. Transfer corn to a platter, sprinkle generously with more Cotija, and dust with more ancho chile powder. Garnish with reserved 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro. Serve reserved lime wedges alongside for squeezing over corn.

Each component in this sweet potato sandwich recipe is seasoned really well, which makes everything pop. This is how you build a vegetarian sandwich.

Spiced Sweet Potato Sandwich with Feta

sweet potato (about 12 oz.), peeled, sliced lengthwise into ¼"–½"-thick planks

ancho chile powder

extra-virgin olive oil,

peeled,

red onion, thinly sliced

rice vinegar

garlic clove, finely grated

lemon juice

sesame kaiser rolls, split

Each component in this sweet potato sandwich recipe is seasoned really well, which makes everything pop.

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine sweet potato, ancho chile powder, cumin, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl; season generously with salt and pepper and toss until sweet potato is evenly coated. Heat a dry large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Arrange sweet potato in a single layer without overlapping (you will most likely be able to fit them all at once, but work in 2 batches if needed). Cook, undisturbed, until blackened in spots, about 4 minutes. Turn slices over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until tender, 10–15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, combine beet, onion, and vinegar in a medium bowl; season generously with salt and pepper and toss well. Let sit to allow beet to soften. Mix mayonnaise, garlic, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a small bowl; season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat broiler. Toast rolls, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet until golden brown, 30–60 seconds. Remove rolls from oven.

Toss herbs with remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice in a medium bowl to coat. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss again to combine.

To build sandwiches, pour off any accumulated liquid from beet mixture. Spread seasoned mayonnaise over cut sides of reserved rolls, dividing evenly (yes, it’s a lot, but you don’t want to skimp here). Arrange feta slices over bottom halves of rolls. Top with sweet potato slices and pile some beet mixture on top. Mound herbs over beets; close up sandwiches with top halves of rolls and cut in half.

Do Ahead: Sweet potato, beet mixture, and seasoned mayonnaise can all be made 2 hours ahead. Store sweet potato and beet mixture separately, tightly covered, at room temperature. Cover and chill mayonnaise.

The key to this adobo is truly burning the chiles and spices. Not browned, not toasted—burned. Try this at home; just open the windows and turn on the fan first.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Charred-Chile Adobo

ancho chiles, seeds removed

guajillo chiles, seeds removed

pasilla chiles, seeds removed

jalapeños

corn tortillas,

cumin seeds

cloves

allspice berries

orange juice

salt

pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds total), trimmed, silver skin removed

Guacamole, Grilled Salsa Roja and Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa Verde, and lime wedges (for serving)

Preheat oven to 500°. Roast cascabel, ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chiles on a rimmed baking sheet until completely blackened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and pour in cold water to cover; let sit 30 minutes to soften. Drain.

Meanwhile, roast jalapeños, garlic, and 4 tortillas on a clean rimmed baking sheet until blackened and charred, 12–15 minutes.

Heat a dry small skillet over medium-high and toast oregano and cumin seeds, tossing often, until beginning to burn, about 1 minute. Transfer oregano and cumin to a small bowl. Char cloves and allspice, tossing often, until black and ashy, about 4 minutes.

Purée softened chiles, tortillas, jalapeños, garlic, oregano, cumin seeds, cloves, allspice, orange juice, and salt in a blender until smooth. Place pork in a large bowl and pour adobo over (meat should be submerged). Cover and chill at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours.

Remove pork from adobo, leaving as much paste on meat as possible, and let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

Prepare a grill for medium-low heat. Grill pork, turning once after first 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°, 35–45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before thinly slicing.

Serve pork with tortillas, guacamole, Grilled Salsa Roja, Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa Verde, and lime wedges.

This recipe is part of the [Epicurious Online Cooking School](http://cookingschool.epicurious.com/), in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mexican classics, check out the video classes.

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (Cheese-Filled Ancho Chiles)

Roma tomatoes, diced

onion

unsalted butter

crema Mexicana

grated piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar)

thyme

oregano,

bay leaf

Kosher salt

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mexican classics, check out the video classes.

Epicurious

In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and blend until smooth. For a smooth sauce, push through a fine-mesh strainer if needed.

In a large skillet, over moderate heat, melt the butter. Add the tomato caldillo mixture and fry, stirring occasionally, until it changes color and reduces slightly.

Just before serving, gently warm the crema Mexicana in a saucepan, then whisk in the tomato caldillo mixture, bring to a simmer, and season to taste with salt.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil, along with the piloncillo, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf.

Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over low heat and dry-roast the chiles until just tender. Transfer to the boiling water, then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water and using a small, sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit down one side of each. Carefully remove the seeds and, if possible, the skin. (The stem of the chile should remain attached, so if the skin is difficult to peel, leave it on.) Season the insides of the chiles with salt, then stuff with the cheese, dividing it equally.

In a large sauté pan, over moderately low heat, melt the butter. Add the chiles and cook, flipping gently, to melt the cheese.

Spoon the caldillo con crema onto a platter or individual plates, top with the chiles, and serve immediately.

"Drunken" salsas have been around forever. They were originally prepared with _pulque,_ an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of the once-sacred maguey (agave) plant. Pulque, which is not easy to find outside of Mexico, is not distilled and has a much stronger flavor than tequila, which I use in its place in this recipe. The alcohol is mostly burned off in the cooking process, leaving only its musky flavor. The sweetness from the freshly squeezed orange juice gives this salsa a wonderful balance.

Salsa Borracha

golden tequila

garlic clove,

Salt and black pepper

crumbled añejo or feta cheese

"Drunken" salsas have been around forever. They were originally prepared with pulque, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of the once-sacred maguey (agave) plant. Pulque, which is not easy to find outside of Mexico, is not distilled and has a much stronger flavor than tequila, which I use in its place in this recipe. The alcohol is mostly burned off in the cooking process, leaving only its musky flavor. The sweetness from the freshly squeezed orange juice gives this salsa a wonderful balance.

Cook the chiles in a dry sauté pan over high heat, turning them constantly, for 2 minutes, or until slightly toasted. Halve and seed the chiles. Tear them into small pieces and transfer the pieces to a blender.

Add the orange juice, tequila, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the blender. Puree until the salsa is nearly smooth.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the salsa and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season the salsa with salt and pepper. Let it cool completely. (The salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Cover the sauce and keep it in the fridge.)

Serve the salsa topped with the crumbled añejo cheese.

Don’t braise your short ribs—grill them. They’re intensely beefy, with gorgeous marbling that encourages crispy bits.

Coconut-Marinated Short Rib Kebabs With Peanut-Chile Oil

lemongrass

shallot,

garlic cloves, chopped

ginger, peeled, chopped

vegetable oil

guajillo or New Mexico chiles

red pepper flakes

peanuts

fish sauce

boneless beef short ribs

garlic cloves, finely grated

ginger, peeled, finely grated

coconut milk

brown sugar

lime juice

turmeric

Vegetable oil (for grill)

Eight 8–12-inch-long metal skewers

Remove tough outer layers from lemongrass. Trim off top third of stalk; discard. Bruise remaining stalk by whacking a few times against a cutting board. Transfer lemongrass to a small saucepan and add shallot, garlic, ginger, oil, and salt and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook, reducing heat as needed to keep at a low boil, until shallot is soft and just beginning to turn golden around edges, 15–20 minutes. Remove from heat and add chiles and red pepper flakes, pushing down with a spoon and stirring occasionally until chiles soften slightly. Purée in a blender until chiles are broken down to small flecks (be careful not to overprocess). Transfer to a small bowl; stir in peanuts and fish sauce.

Do Ahead: Peanut-chile oil can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

To make them easier to slice, freeze ribs just until very firm around edges, 20–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove tough outer layers from lemongrass. Finely grate bottom third of stalk; discard remainder or freeze for another use. Combine lemongrass, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric in a large resealable plastic bag. Slice short ribs lengthwise against the grain into ¼"-thick strips and add to bag. Seal bag, pressing out air, and chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grates. Remove beef from marinade, letting excess drip off. Thread onto 6–8 skewers, folding back and forth in accordion style; season lightly with salt. Grill, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve beef with peanut-chile oil.

Think of this as a chile-laced peanut butter you’ll want to put on everything, from tacos to fried eggs. It’s delicious and not at all as intimidating as it sounds. 

Salsa Macha

grapeseed oil

garlic cloves,

chiles de árbol

Purple corn tostadas, avocado wedges, tender herbs, and lime wedges (for serving)

Think of this as a chile-laced peanut butter you’ll want to put on everything, from tacos to fried eggs. It’s delicious and not at all as intimidating as it sounds. Cilantro is an obvious and perfectly suitable garnish for serving, or you could use a riot of colorful herbs like red shiso, delfino cilantro, and even peppermint.

Cook oil and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat until garlic is golden brown all over, 6–8 minutes. Spoon out garlic with a slotted spoon; save for another use or discard. Add peanuts to oil and simmer until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small rimmed baking sheet with spoon. Cook pasilla chiles in oil just until slightly puffed and darkened, 30–60 seconds. Transfer to baking sheet with peanuts. Repeat with ancho chiles, then chiles de árbol. Let oil cool slightly.

Transfer peanuts and chiles to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, stream in oil and purée until peanuts and chiles are finely chopped, about 1 minute. Season salsa with salt and let cool.

Serve salsa macha with tostadas, avocados, herbs, and lime wedges.

Do Ahead: Salsa can be made 2 months ahead. Cover and chill.

No beans here—this Texas chili recipe gets its heft from a 5-pounder of beef brisket.

Texas Beef Brisket Chili

bacon, diced

onions, chopped (about 4 cups)

flat-cut

Coarse kosher salt

garlic cloves, peeled

chili powder

coriander

coarse kosher salt

fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 3/4 cups)

Mexican beer

green chiles

cilantro

red onion

avocado

Monterey Jack cheese

corn flour tortillas

Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.

Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.

Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Set out garnishes in separate dishes. Rewarm chili over low heat. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

*Available at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets

Our best turkey chili recipe delivers major body and richness courtesy of dark ground turkey meat, a robust and concentrated chile purée, and a bottle of beer.

Top 11 ancho chile recipes from across the web

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Elote

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Top 11 ancho chile recipes from across the web

The most viewed ancho chile recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Ancho Mole Cookies

Beef Chili

Elote

Spiced Sweet Potato Sandwich with F...

Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Charred-...

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (Ch...

Salsa Borracha

Coconut-Marinated Short Rib Kebabs ...

Salsa Macha

Texas Beef Brisket Chili

Better Turkey Chili

The most viewed ancho chile recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine