Raising your chipotle-consciousness....

[Gifted Gourmet]

From an article in Newsday:

a surge in mainstream chipotle-consciousness. "The real chile heads, the aficionados and the foodies have been using it for some time," Nusom said, "but it wasn't until about a year ago that it really hit the public."

Part of the chipotle's popularity, Nusom said, derives from its relative newness in the mainstream food world. "Americans are mad for new tastes in food."

Do you find yourself trying new types of peppers like this one, or are you such a chile head that this has been part of your repertoire for some time now?

Pronounced chee-POAT-lay, this chile is a jalapeño pepper that has been smoked and dried. It is that smoke-drying process that gives it its depth and appeal.

[chefdg]

My favorite is preserved in Adobe sauce. It comes in small cans and has a great flavor. Sorry, don't know the source.

[Hest88]

I've added chipotle to chicken-based soups for years.

[Blondie]

I've been using chipotles, mostly for black bean soup, for at least 8 or 9 years. When I lived in Ireland (a number of years back now), I always lugged a few cans of chipotles in adobo back from my trips home to NY.

I puree them (after removing some of the seeds) and found the mixture keeps fine in a glass jar in the fridge. I have used the dried version in a pinch, but can't usually be bothered with the soaking, etc.. Tossing a spoonful of puree into a dish is so much easier.

[JumpinJude]

I have been using using chipotles for about four years now. I have almost always used them out of a can en adobo, Goya being the maker. I use them to make sauces, in mayo for sandwiches and for meat (chicken, turkey) salads, in soups, for making Mexican dishes... They are also great scrambled into eggs...

[bloviatrix]

It was only 2 years ago that I finally kosher chipotles in adobo, but I scooped up several cans when I found them. I also have a stash of chipotles that I use when making beans.

[JAZ]

I've been using them for years. Although I like the ones canned in sauce, I don't use them up fast enough and part of the can almost always spoils, so I use the dried ones mostly. Since I often just toss them in a braised or simmered dish, they work out great. Also, I make a spice mixture with dried chipotles, dried orange peel, dried garlic and cumin.

[tomweir]

You can happily get chipotles en adobo in Dublin now, Blondie. I love'em. In eggs, in salsa, in chilli...

[spoonbread]

En Adobo is the best!

[Margo]

I've been eating chipotles in adobo since reading about them on the Chileheads list about 8 years ago. It took a while, but it finally dawned on me that the local Mexican grocer would probably have them. I was hooked instantly: I probably ate half a can's worth of quesadillas at one sitting.

About the same time I found one of Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby's cookbooks in a remainder bin, and quickly fell in love with their orange-chipotle salsa and grilled skirt steak. I have to say that book (Big Flavors of the Hot Sun) completely changed my approach to cooking. I had recently begun eating meat after 15 years of vegetarianism and was kind of at a loss, but that book was inspirational.

Back to chipotles. Now I chop them into my cream of wheat in the morning.

[RSincere]

I probably first heard of them 6 months ago, when I started watching Food Network. It was a standing joke at my place for a while that Rachael Ray was incapable of cooking an entire meal without chipotle in adobo. I haven't tried them yet; the hottest chile I have used in my cooking would be the canned mild green chiles. But I do plan on trying both chopped jalapeno and chipotle. I'm afraid they might be too hot, but it won't hurt to try.

[scubadoo97]

My father spent a few years in Mexico City as a young man and has other family members who live there. Chipotles were a common item in our house growing up. I buy the cans since they are so easy to come by but I also pick up a bag of dried chipotles when I can find them and hydrate them, add carrots and onions lightly cook with a touch of vinager, brown sugar, thyme and water. Put them in jars and they are great. I take the cans and dump them in a jar, blend them with a stick blender and use in many dishes this way. I have also blended a can of chipotles with some guava paste. The little sweet kick works so well.

[Andrew Fenton]

Chipotles are a good vegetarian alternative to smoked flavoring agents like ham hocks or smoked turkey. I'll often throw in a couple when I'm cooking beans or soup.

[bloviatrix]

Chipotles are a good vegetarian alternative to smoked flavoring agents like ham hocks or smoked turkey. I'll often throw in a couple when I'm cooking beans or soup.

You're so right about that. I throw the dried ones into a pot of black beans and it gives a great meaty flavor.

[Andrew Fenton]

Yah, if I ever went veggie or kosher, I'd probably triple my consumption of chipotles...

[Basilgirl]

I put them in the shredded "Mexican" beef I make in the Crockpot, along with green salsa. Really "kicks it up a notch" and makes it "yummo!"

Have you tried the chipotle Tabasco sauce? I haven't seen it in stores, only on their Web site. It's awesome. Especially with eggs.

[Toliver]

Have you tried the chipotle Tabasco sauce? I haven't seen it in stores, only on their Web site. It's awesome. Especially with eggs.

I keep a bottle of it in my office desk drawer. It is awesome and really perks up that same ole fast food sandwich.

[andiesenji]

Chipotles are very versatile, just a small amount will flavor an entire dish.

I smoke and dry my own because the jals are very prolific producers and I can only give away so many. The flavor of the jal changes as it ripens and though it doensn't lose any of its "heat", the flavor mellows and becomes sweeter.

I remove the seeds from the dried chipotles and from equal amounts of ancho, and pimento (Apple Heart variety)peppers, also dried. Grind them coarsly and mix with a little freshly toasted and ground cumin and coriander plus a small amount of ground star anise. The combination of flavors from the sweet and mild peppers, the spices, and the heat from the chipotles, is excellent.

[ExtraMSG]

I always have dried and canned chipotles on hand. My favorite dish using them is tinga, a tomato and chipotle stew, usually with chicken or pork.

I also always have Bufalo's chipotle sauce on hand. Much better than Tabasco's new version. It's essentially chipotles en adobo puree. See here: http://www.mexgrocer.com/1251.html

[NulloModo]

MSG -

You are right, that stuff is awesome. Much thicker than the Tabasco stuff, and a stronger smokier flavor. I could (and sometimes do) drink that stuff straight.

[esperanza]

The chile chipotle is one of my favorites and has been for many years. I keep a stash of dried chipotles as well as a jar of them en adobo in the refrigerator.

The enormous Mega Mercado where I shop on occasion sells my all-time favorites, chiles chipotle en escabeche, made on the premises and dished up in tubs in the quantity you want. I frequently chop up one or two and mix them into a small can of tuna fish, along with some of the juice, and that's lunch.

It's great that the chipotle is coming into its own up north!

[NulloModo]

One of my big reasons for wanting to buy a smoker is to make my own chipotles...

I have this crazy idea that if I smoke a butt, then pull it, stuff it into some jalepenos, and smoke those, that the end result will be pretty darn tasty...

[ExtraMSG]

Nullo, my favorite thing for Bufalo chipotle sauce is mixing it with cream or sour cream/water and salt for a quick salad dressing. It's not quite drinking it straight, but it's not far off.

I know one or two people here make their own chipotles, maybe Rancho Gordo? I think there might be some comments in a chipotle thread on the Mexico forum.

[andiesenji]

Nullo, my favorite thing for Bufalo chipotle sauce is mixing it with cream or sour cream/water and salt for a quick salad dressing. It's not quite drinking it straight, but it's not far off.

I know one or two people here make their own chipotles, maybe Rancho Gordo? I think there might be some comments in a chipotle thread on the Mexico forum.

I dry and smoke my own chipotles. Also have dried and smoked poblano/anchos, habaneros and rocotos.

[Squeat Mungry]

In her latest book, From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients, Diana Kennedy gives a recipe for making one's own chipotles en adobo. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks surprisingly simple. Anybody make their own?

Cheers,

Squeat