Cornish Sea Salt Co. Really Garlicky 55g

Ancho Chiles (pronounced "AHN CHo"), Capsicum Annuum, are also referred to as chile ancho, ancho chili, and ancho pepper. Known as Poblano chiles when in their fresh state, this mild chile is native to the Mexican State of Puebla. In their native region when dried they are called chile ancho which translates to "wide chile". The dried Ancho chile has a more intense flavor profile than the poblano and has been a key ingredient in Puebla cuisine for thousands of years. Ancho Chiles are the most commonly used dried chile in Mexican cuisine and are one of the famous "holy trinity" of chiles used in Mexican moles, along with the Pasilla Negro Chiles and the Guajillo Chiles. This heart shaped dried pepper is about 3" wide and 4" in length and tapers to a point. They are a deep, reddish brown to black in color and the texture is wrinkled. A top grade Ancho should be clean, pliable, untorn and aromatic with a smell that is a bit like prunes. The staple chile in authentic Mexican cooking, Ancho peppers are a critical ingredient in red chili, tamales, many moles, enchiladas, salsa, soups and any sauce that may need some extra mild heat. You can add them directly to your recipes - sliced, diced or pureed. The whole dried pod can be ground in a blender (with or without the seeds, depending on your heat and flavor preferences). For more flavor, lightly toast Ancho Chiles in a hot pan for about 30 seconds per side, just until they start to blister. They can easily be re-hydrated by pouring hot water or broth over them and letting them sit for 10-20 minutes. Don't let them soak much longer than that, as they may become bitter. A puree of soaked Ancho chiles will be reddish brown in color with a rich, mild, almost sweet taste and slightly bitter undertones. We like to save the liquid from rehydrating as it absorbs the great flavor from the softened chiles. Use the liquid in the recipe at hand, or save it to lend flavor depth to braises, soups and stews. Per ounce, Ancho chile provides more pulp than most dried chiles. The heat of the chile comes from the veins inside the pod and before rehydrating some cooks prefer to remove some or most of the seeds and veins as these lend more bitterness to the finished recipe. Scoville heat rating (SHU) of 500 to 1,500

These small, glossy purplish-black beans are one of the hundreds of varieties of the common bean. They’re especially common in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine, and are widely available both dried and canned. Dried black beans should be soaked before cooking, both to speed cooking time and to reduce any gas-causing tendencies. There are two ways to soak dried beans: Overnight soak: Rinse the beans, then cover with an inch of cold water and let soak at room temperature for at least four hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking them. Quick-soak method: Rinse the beans, then put in a saucepan, cover with an inch of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes and then let them soak for an hour off the heat, drain, and then add fresh water and continue cooking. Soaked black beans will cook in about 60 minutes. Use 3 cups of water for each cup of uncooked beans, and you may wish to season the beans by adding bay leaves, herb sprigs, or garlic cloves to the cooking water. There’s a persistent myth that adding salt to beans while they cook will toughen their skins. This is not true, however, and salting the cooking water gives the beans better flavor. Store dried beans in a covered container for up to 1 year. You can precook beans and store them, refrigerated, in their cooking liquid for up to 3 days. Choose dried beans that look plump and evenly colored. Pick over dried beans before using to remove any small pebbles. Product of USA