I have a question regarding chipotle in adobo. I live in a region with a scarce supply

M

Marg CDN

Well-known member
of Mexican-type foods so I don't know if this exists.

I love the adobo sauce that chipotles are packed in. I realize that it's the smoke that contributes to the flavour that I love. I buy cans of chi in adobo and usually throw out all but 2 of the chilis. But I cn never get enough of the sauce and have started putting it in lots of different foods, especially winter soups...like the albondiga that I made with the pork stewing water from Michael's recipe.

But can I buy just the sauce? Does the sauce get its smokey flavour only from the chilis that it surrounds or ...what?

The chilis are too hot for me. I could take 1/4 tsp. in a bowl of soup and that's it for me.

Maybe I just need to get back to Phoenix again.

 
Marg, I went looking for recipes to make the chiles in adobo once and found this>>

I thought I got it off of Recipezaar, but I can't find it there now. This one is from my files. The link is for a slightly different version from there.

I found the canned ones in stores here before I had a chance to make them, so haven't tried it. The problem with making the adobo without the peppers is it would lack the smokiness that the peppers give it. Can you get the dried chipotles? I get them from Penzeys, but don't know if you can order from there.

Chipotles in Adobo Sauce

This is a recipe from Mark Miller (Coyote Cafe). These are far superior and less costly than canned.


10 chipotle chiles, stems removed and slit lengthwise
1/3 cup white onions, 1/2-inch slices
5 Tbs cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 Tbs catsup
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups water



Combine all ingredients in nonreactive saucepan, cover and cook over very low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chiles are very soft and liquid has reduced to 1 cup.


Yield: 1 cup
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Recipe Type
Mexican, Sauce

Recipe Source
Author: Mark Miller (Coyote Cafe)

http://www.recipezaar.com/166242

 
Link is to Mexican grocery stores in Toronto. I've seen powdered adobo (Goya brand) at

that big ethnic supermarket Coxwell and Dundas area (No Frills? It's been a while). But adobo without the chipotles would taste quite different, wouldn't it? Then it's just an unspicy tomato sauce of sorts.

I'd also ask at Perola Supermarket and House of Spice (altho it leans more to Indian) in Kensington Market, where there are other Mexican/Latin American stores as well.

Knorr makes a ready-to-serve adobo sauce, minus the chipotle, but I've never looked for it in Toronto.

There's always tienda.com and mexgrocer.com, both in the States, but in this weather shopping online might be preferable.

http://www.guiahispana.net/catlist.aspx?cat=541105

 
Yes, as I understand it. You can smoke them yourself, I think there are recipes on the internet.

 
Chipotle en adobo - throw a can in the food processor and puree, then into ice cube trays, so forth

 
What a swell idea! I can get the dried chipotles around the corner and this recipe

indicates the use of dried ones. Thank you Curious, I'm going to do this.

How silly of me. I have 3 of Mark Miller's books. Gifts. Made 2 things out of his first book and never went back to it. We were just not that thrilled with it. And not that thrilled with his restaurant either; maybe that's why.

He did consult to one of my favourite restaurant haunts in the Caribbean though and I loved what he did to it.

Maybe it's time to crack open the books again. And I even have the one on chilis. I forget what's on those shelves sometimes.

thanks again.

 
One of these days I'm going to get down to Kensington. But there's one on your

list there, that is quite close to me. I'll check that out. Thanks Shaun.

 
Some bbq places cook their beans in the smoker. I don't know why you couldn't

slow simmer a tangy tomato sauce in one, or even off the heat on a charcoal grill with the lid mostly closed.

 
Okay, how about this...

Pour the chiles out into a bowl. Slit the chiles open and remove the seeds, this will help with the heat. Then puree it all together. Now start diluting the pureed mixture with some tomato sauce and/or mild salsa. Just do this a little at a time until you have the right balance of smokiness and heat. You might want to only start with half the chiles and see how it goes from there and add one at a time until you get it right. It may take a little experimentation to come up with the right flavor. While you are formulating it, keep a paper and pencil near by to write down exactly what you are adding, so you can duplicate it in the future. I have gotten really good about doing that since I get so frustrated when I cannot duplicate some recipes that I really liked because I couldn't remember everything I put in it.

 
I sure understand that frustration. I fail to record about once a week. I must really be a wimp

though. I do take ALL the seeds and membrane out now. I add only 1 1/2 (stripped down) chilis per huge pot of soup and all the sauce I can get.

I'll try a version of all of this and see what I can come up with. Thank you for your idea.

I had a very serious attack from hot food once. Spent the night in the hospital and couldn't even consider anything slightly warm for about 15 years. Was on heavy duty drugs for 3 years. This is me, now, all better, still can't eat more than a speck.

 
I hear ya about the bad bout. Not hospitalized(but should have). we had a foreign ex student

from Mexico ages ago, and he made dinner one night of steak with homemade fresh salsa. He used serano peppers, and I was not used to those at all. I ate too much for my tolerance and I ended up flat on the floor trying to breath. The heat and acid kept coming up and actually choking me. Scariest time of my life, just about.

 
Another thought...

you might try adding some smoked paprika to the sauce. You will add the smokiness without the heat. I do that for my family and it works pretty well. I will try and experiment a little when I get a chance. I am pretty good at formulating things like this. If I come close I will post it for you.

 
I don't know about Marg, but my WalMart here in Quebec has

a very limited ethnic food section. Nothing like the WalMart where my parents live in Arizona! It's IMPOSSIBLE here, for example, to find chipotles in adobo, or enchilada sauce, or tamale wrappers, or corn tortillas. I even had a hard time finding refried beans until the last year or so, canned ortega chiles are scarce, and I can only find Monterey Jack cheese at one place in town.

 
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