Another thing you could do is preserve them in olive oil . You can do it the quick way or the best way . The quick way is to heat the olive oil and dried chiles up to 220 F , then turn off the heat , transfer into glass and let soak for about a week , until thoroughly softened . The best way is to just toss the dried chiles in olive oil and let them soak for about 34 weeks . All the water has been pulled out of the cells now the cells are filling back up with oil . The final product has a powerful and unique flavor , and you can use the oil in cooking , for hot mayonnaise , etc . One thing you can do with the finished chiles is make a condiment paste . Saute some onions and garlic until caramelized , then puree with the chiles and enough oil to make a paste . Season generously with salt and lime juice or sherry vinegar .