Your sauce will have this color and consistency, thick.

Juan Marcos Rustic Marinara Sauce con Pollo Spaghetti Rigati.

As I prepare for the return journey (sometime later this month), I was driven by the refrigerator contents to make one last dish whilst in Mexico. Sure it can be made almost anywhere, but I especially like finding the chilies in the local markets. So today’s dish is a slight variation of a previous one. (this one has some added heat, juice, and vodka)

Shopping List:
1 kilo of locally grown Roma tomatoes. (about 2 pounds)
1 large Poblano Chili
2 medium sized Jalepenos
1 large white onion
4 cloves of garlic or a large teaspoon of minced.
1/2 cup plus more of Olive Oil for sautéing and for coating the tomatoes and chilies
Butter for sautéing the garlic and onion
Fagundes Seasoning or your favorite garlic/salt seasoning
2 ounces of Vodka
4 ounces of Clamato Juice
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of honey
200 grams of Puree deTomate (small can/jar of tomato sauce)
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Directions:
1. Quarter the tomatoes removing most of the core/stem.
2. Quarter the poblano chili and remove the top and seeds.
3. Into a plastic bag, throw the tomatoes and poblano chilies along with ½ cup of olive oil and a tablespoon of Fagundes seasonings. Shake for a minute until well coated.
4. Fill a lined dish or oven proof pan with the tomatoes and poblano chili and bake for about an hour at 350 F. Warning: the aroma is intoxicating.
5. Meanwhile, take the whole jalepeno chilies and blacken them over the stove. Gas works the best, but I’ve also burned them on an electric stove just as well. After they have cooled, I cut off the tops and do not remove the seeds. You want a mild sauce, remove the seeds. Set aside.
6. Meanwhile in a larger sauté or sauce pan, chop the onion and garlic and sauté in a little olive oil and butter. About 5-7 minutes for the onion, and 2-3 minutes for the garlic. Set aside.
7. After the tomatoes have been cooked for the hour, remove them and let them cool. I actually just turn off the stove and after another hour, remove them.
8. Now the fun part. Everything goes into the blender. If you have an immersion blender, you’re welcome to try that, but in Mexico, I did not. (this year) Tomatoes, poblano, whole jalepenos, onions, garlic, and any olive oil that might be left in the pans.
9. Add the tomato sauce, vodka and Clamato juice.
10. Pulse blend for several minutes and the sauce has blended uniformly. (it’s all moving)
11. Return this mixture to the stove. I had used a large sauce/sauté pan for the onions, so I simply put the mixture back into this pan. (less dishes)
12. Bring to a simmer and taste. Here is where I add the honey and sugar. Taste.
13. Add salt and pepper to taste. I typically taste every time I walk by or every 10 minutes for the following hour and add whatever I feel is lacking.
14. After about an hour of very low simmering, cover and remove to cool, before refrigerating.

Tomorrow this sauce will have blended nicely and be ready for the next steps. I plan on using chicken (pollo) for the meat, but you can use shrimp, beef, pork, or nothing to finish this dish and serve over your favorite pasta topped with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Food for Thought.