Thursday, July 26, 2007 11:14 AM
Cooking with chipotle peppers?
Canned chipotle peppers in adobo are my secret weapon. Five years ago, I didn’t even know what a chipotle was, but this humble chile is now my go-to seasoning when I’m making something that needs a subtle kick. Canned chipotles are smoked red jalapenos immersed in adobo, a pureed sauce of vinegar, tomato and ancho chile. They’re smoky and spicy (but not habanero hot) and the flavor serves as a perfect tangy counter-balance to rich foods like cheese, mayo, butter, sour cream. I have at least two or three cans in my pantry at all times—they’re cheap and keep forever.
If you want to experiment, puree 2 tablespoons of adobo with one pepper and stir it into:
* One cup sour cream
* One cup mayo
* 1/2 cup cream cheese
The chipotle sour cream will rock any burrito or taco you put in your mouth, but we love it with fish tacos. You can substitute the straight puree (about 1 tablespoon) for the fresh Serrano pepper in the mango salsa recipe that goes with these Mahi Mahi Tacos. I wasn’t a huge fan of the sun-dried tomato-chipotle spread in this Spicy Southwest Chicken Sandwich (besides…who’s got sun-dried tomatoes in oil just lying around the house?), so I used the chipotle mayo instead. It zings on a Tex-Mex Burger topped with avocado and jack cheese, too.
The chipotle cream cheese can be spread on toasted bread for a veggie sandwich, or as a savory spread on crackers or baguette slices. I stir a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar into the spread to give it a sweet sharpness.
It’s too hot to even think of eating a spicy-hot soup, but this Tortilla Soup with Shredded Chicken and Avocado is delicious served cold. The broth flavors intensify if you make it a day ahead and chill it, but because cold foods tend to need more seasoning (heat opens up flavors, but cold mutes them), I swirl 1 tbsp. of chipotle-adobo puree into the broth instead of the 1/4 tsp. of chipotle powder.
What’s your secret weapon in the kitchen?