Ingredients
3 guajillo chillies
3 mulato chillies
1/2 medium onion, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup strong black coffee
1/4 cup muscavado sugar
1 tablespoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch cumin
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Preparation
Step 1
Split, stem, and seed the chillies. Toast the chillies in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning and flattening with a spatula, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Put the chillies in a heatproof bowl, cover with very hot water, and set aside until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserve soaking liquid, chop chillies roughly, and set aside.
Step 2
While the chiles soak, char the onion and garlic in the same dry skillet over medium heat until the onion blackens slightly and garlic softens in the skin, about 8 minutes. Cool, squeeze the garlic out of the skin, and put in a blender with chillies and onion. Puree to a paste, adding soaking liquid as needed (about 3/4 cup) to help the mixture break down.
Step 3
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chilli mixture and cook, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato puree, coffee, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, cloves, and cumin. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Step 4
Stir in vinegar and season with salt to taste.
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