Café Pasqual's Three-Chili Salsa

Ingredients

• 3 dried guajillo chilies (about 1 oz. total)
• 3 dried chiles de arbol (1/10 to 1/5 oz. total)
• 1/3 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
• 1 firm-ripe tomato (1/2 lb.), rinsed, cored, and quartered
• 1 fresh jalapeño chili (1 oz.), rinsed and stemmed
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• About 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican or regular oregano

Preparation

1. 1. Trim and discard stems from guajillos and chiles de arbol; discard seeds from guajillos. Rinse chilies.
2. 2. In a 2- to 3-quart pan, combine dried chilies, tomatillos, tomato, jalapeño, onion, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; stir frequently until dried chilies are limp, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes.
3. 3. Meanwhile, in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over low heat, stir cumin, cloves, and oregano until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
4. 4. Combine chili mixture and spices in a blender. Whirl until coarsely puréed. Add salt to taste. Pour into a bowl.
5. Nutritional analysis per tablespoon.