Chile Pesto

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chile_pesto.html

From EatingWell:  August/September 2005

A cross between an enchilada sauce and mole, this pesto pairs well with grilled meat or vegetables.

About 1 cup | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 4 dried New Mexico chiles, (see Ingredient note), stemmed, seeded and broken into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup pepitas, (pumpkin seeds), toasted (see Tip)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 20 seconds more. Add chiles; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and immediately turn off the heat. When the water stops boiling, pour the chile mixture into a small bowl. Make sure all the pieces are submerged; cover and set aside to soften, 20 minutes.
2. Pour the chile mixture into a food processor or large blender. Add pepitas, thyme, cumin and salt. Pulse a few times, then process until smooth, or to the desired consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Nutrition

Per 2-tablespoon serving : 27 Calories; 2 g Fat; 0 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 2 g Carbohydrates; 1 g Protein; 0 g Fiber; 149 mg Sodium; 47 mg Potassium

Exchanges: 1/2 fat

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient Note: Dried New Mexico chiles are sweet with a hint of spiciness. They can be found in the specialty-produce section of the supermarket, in gourmet-food markets or online at www.melissas.com.
• Tip: To toast pepitas, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.