Chile Colorado

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons ground, dried Anaheim or New Mexico chile
2 cups water
2 cups tomato juice
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon salt

Warm oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saut� until onion is limp. Mix in the flour, whisking out any lumps. Stir in the chile and then the water, a cup at a time. Add tomato juice, oregano and salt and bring the sauce just to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. The completed sauce should coat a spoon thinly and drop off it easily.

Serve warm with enchiladas, burros, chimichangas and other dishes. The sauce keeps under refrigeration for 5 to 6 days and freezes well.