Cempazuchi Borracho Sauce (Drunken Sauce)

This sauce works well with chicken, fish or rabbit. The mescal gives it a smoky flavor. Serve with rice or corn tortillas.

Yield: 4 quarts

Ingredients

• 2 red onions, cut into quarters
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 4 red bell peppers
• 4 green bell peppers
• 2 poblano peppers
• 2 jalapeno peppers
• 8 Roma tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 12 ounces dark beer (Negra Modelo)
• 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)
• 6 ounces premium mescal or premium tequila

Instructions

1. Heat grill to high.
2. Brush onions with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Char on grill.
3. Char all peppers and tomatoes, leaving them whole (do not salt or oil).
4. When vegetables are blackened on outside, place in covered container. This will allow vegetables to steam together and render a charred vegetable stock in bottom of container.
5. Let sit for 1 hour, then remove vegetables from stock and let cool.
6. Remove stems and seed cores from peppers and cores from tomatoes, then coarsely chop in food processor.
7. In saucepan, bring chicken broth to simmer, then add charred vegetable stock, chopped vegetables and 1/4 cup cilantro. Stir while reducing mixture to original consistency.
8. Add beer and lime juice and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add mescal and simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Finish by adding remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro and salt to taste.

Attribution

Bryce Clark, Cempazuchi restaurant, Milwaukee, Wisconsin