The chiles › Ancho
C. annuum
Ancho
mildDried
1,000-2,000 SHU
Origin
Mexico; it is the dried poblano.
Uses
A pillar of mole and of many adobos and sauces; rehydrated, it is also stuffed. Toasted and ground it brings body and sweetness to stews and marinades.
About this chile
It is nothing more than the poblano once dried, and its name, "ancho" (wide), describes its flat, broad shape. It is one of the three chiles of the mole "holy trinity", together with the mulato and the pasilla. On the palate it unfolds sweet notes reminiscent of raisin, plum and even chocolate, which explains its central role in Mexican dark sauces.