Salsa Negra

This is a recipe I found for the Salsa Negra (or Salsa Baja) from Baja Fresh. The trick behind the flavor (and color) in this recipe is the heavily roasted tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces large tomatillos (about 3), husks removed and cleaned
• 3 cloves garlic, skin intact
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 small yellow onion, skin and root intact, quartered
• 1 dried ancho chile
• 1 poblano chile
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• Juice of 1 lime
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Direction:

1. Heat a large grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, garlic, tomatoes, onion, ancho and poblano chiles. Char on all sides until blackened in parts, removing the charred vegetables and chiles to a cutting board once blackened. Depending on their size, each vegetable will char at a different rate.
2. Place the charred ancho chile into a small bowl and pour enough hot water to cover it. Allow to sit until the chili is softened, 8 to 10 minutes. When softened, remove the stem and seeds.
3. Remove the stem and seeds from the charred poblano as well as the stem and skins from the charred garlic cloves and onion quarters.
4. Put the soaked ancho and poblano chiles, tomatillos, garlic, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, agave and lime juice into the bowl of a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. 
5. Season with salt and pepper to your heart's content.