Flank Steak with Guajillo Chili Sauce
Serves 4
This dish was a revelation for me, especially since I’d never used
dried chilies before. Who knew that simply soaking dark red and
black guajillo and ancho chilies in hot water would reconstitute
them so quickly? They mix up effortlessly in the blender,
producing a fantastic base for both a marinade and a sauce. There
are so many fascinating touches in this recipe—garlic cloves still in
their skins toasted in a skillet, a whole cinnamon stick browned
until fragrant and then blended with chicken stock—that by the
time you eat everything together, you’ll marvel at how dynamic
and layered a dish it is, a smoky, soulful pairing of sauce and meat.
Start the marinade a day ahead for maximum flavor.FOR THE MARINADE
4 dried guajillo chilies
4 dried ancho chilies
4 cloves garlic, still in their skins
½ cinnamon stick
A pinch of cumin seeds
A pinch of dried Mexican oregano
A splash of apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper