Dried Chile Crisps

Tiritas de Chile Seco

Makes about ½ cup Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes Can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored, tightly covered, at room temperature

Crunchy and uniquely Mexican, dried chile crisps are typically made with ancho or pasilla chiles. Try both to see if you have a preference. The crisps are a great accompaniment to soups, salads, and even guacamole, but unlike tortilla chips, they are not a snack on their own—they are meant to complement a dish by providing a robust hit of flavor.

• 2–3 ancho or pasilla chiles (about 1 ounce), stemmed and seeded
• Vegetable oil

1. Slice each chile lengthwise into strips about 1 inch wide, then slice the strips crosswise into ½- to 1-inch pieces. (They don’t all have to be equal.)
2. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a small skillet over medium heat until it sizzles when you drop in a piece of chile. Gently add the chile pieces and stir for just 2 to 3 seconds—be cautious, as they can easily burn and become bitter. Remove the crisps with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Ancho Chiles are the most popular dried chile in Mexico. They are adored, and rightly so, as their flavor is unmatched.

An ancho is a poblano chile (see the sidebar) that has been ripened to an intense red and then dried to concentrate its fruitiness. The ancho is a charmer, inside and out: Wide, chubby, and wrinkled but still pliable, with dark red-brown skin, it looks very different from other dried chiles (see the photograph). Its flavor is deep, rich, and sharp, with a hint of bittersweet chocolate and the fruitiness of prunes. It is not hot, and has a somewhat sweet fragrance.

To use anchos, rinse them or dust them off with a kitchen towel, remove the stems, slit lengthwise, and remove the seeds and veins. Depending on the cook and the recipe, sometimes they are toasted, sometimes not. Usually they are rehydrated. To do so, cover them with boiling water and let them sit until plump and softened, 10 to 15 minutes, then drain and use as indicated. Or place them in a pan, cover with water, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until plump and rehydrated. In many cases, the simmering liquid is also used, as it holds much of the color and flavor of the chile.