Sauces based on dried red and fresh green chiles are the cornerstones of New Mexico cookery. Unlike the common fresh relish-like salsas of other southwestern states and Mexico, these are cooked sauces, made almost purely from the local chiles, and they spark all classic New Mexican dishes. Restaurants and home cooks take immense pride in their sauces, debating their ingredients and cooking processes constantly. Rancho de Chimayó’s versions have been made pretty much the same way since the restaurant opened, and the preparations are quite close as well to the ones used by Arturo Jaramillo’s grandmother. The restaurant over time has added a variety of other salsas to the menu, such as a tomato-based table sauce for chips and tacos and a chunkier fresh pico de gallo. The traditional red and green sauces, however, remain at the heart of Rancho de Chimayó’s time-honored cuisine.
