Ancho Chile Ketchup

12 ancho chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
1/2 white onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups water
5 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cups tomato paste
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the peppers, onion and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the peppers have absorbed some liquid and have become soft.

Remove the peppers, onion and garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a food processor. Add the brown sugar, cumin, tomato paste and 1 cup of the liquid the peppers were cooked in.

Puree, adding more pepper liquid until you reach the desired thickness. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and more brown sugar if desired.

Spoon the ketchup into a glass container and store it in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Yield: about 5 cups.