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Part 1: The Smoky Chiles By Dave DeWitt and Chuck Evans |
Chipotles Adobados (Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce) Tlatonile (Tomato-Peanut Salsa) Jumbo Shrimp with Smoked Cocktail Sauce |
Generally speaking, chipotle in English refers to any smoked chile pepper. The Spanish word chipotle is a contraction of chilpotle in the Náhuatl language of the Aztecs, where chil referred to the hot pepper and potle was derived from poctli, meaning smoked. The word was apparently reversed from Náhuatl, where it originally was spelled pochilli. Other early spellings in Mexico are tzilpoctil, tzonchilli, and texochilli.
The most commonly smoked chiles are jalapeños, named for the city of Jalapa in the state of Veracruz. They are also known in Mexico as cuaresmeños, or Lenten chiles. In Puebla, Central Mexico, and Oaxaca, jalapeños are known as huachinangos, while in coastal Mexico and Veracruz they are called chiles gordos.
Origins
Smoked chiles had their origin in the ancient civilization of Teotihuacán, north of present-day Mexico City. It was the largest city-state in Mesoamerica and flourished centuries before the rise of the Aztecs. Chipotles also made an appearance in the marketplaces of Tenochtitlán, the capital city of the Aztecs that is now called Mexico City. Certain varieties of fleshy chiles, now called jalapeños, would not dry properly in the sun--their thick flesh would rot first. However, like meats, they could be preserved by the process known as smoke-drying.
History
Bernardino de Sahagún, a Spanish friar who lived in Mexico in the early 1500s, described a dish called teatzin which was served in Cholula in the state of Puebla. It contained a combination of chipotle and pasilla sauces for stewing fresh jalapeños and lenten palm flowers.
In 1575, a Spanish visitor to Mexico, Juan de la Cueva, described a dish that combined the seedless chipotles (capones), onions, piñon nuts, and a broth with meat juice and pulque (agave beer). The sauce was simmered with chunks of meat to create pipián de piñon.
For hundreds of years after the Aztecs, smoked chiles were found predominantly in the markets of Central and South Mexico, such as Puebla, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Chiapas. In Huatasco in the state of Veracruz, a salsa made with tomatoes, peanuts, and chipotles has been made for centuries. It is called tlatonile, and Chuck’s company, Sauces and Salsas, Ltd., has replicated it in their Veracruz Peanut Sauce .
Varieties
The true chipotle is grayish-tan, quite stiff, and is often described as looking like a cigar butt. It is deeply imbued with smoke and is both hot and flavorful. This main variety is also called chile ahumado (smoked chile); chile meco (blackish-red chile; meco is close to seco, meaning dry); the double terms chipotle meco and chipotle típico, and just típico. Further confusing the issue is a cultivated variety of jalapeño that is also named ‘Típico.’ Yes, the ‘Tipico’ variety is often smoked to become a típico chipotle.
Other varieties of smoked jalapeños are often mistaken for the típico chipotle. The most common one is called morita, which means "little blackberry" in Spanish. The color of this smoked chile is dark red, sometimes approaching purple in color. Often the morita is referred to a smoked serrano chile, but this is inaccurate. Both the típico and the morita are smoked jalapeños; the difference is that the morita is not smoked nearly as long, and thus it remains very leathery and pliable. Not only is the smoky flavor much more intense in the típico, its flavor is much richer.
But the morita is commonly marketed as the típico chipotle because it can bring $2 to $4 more per pound with that name. Unfortunately, most of the "chipotles" being sold in markets in the United States are in actuality the inferior moritas. This is because most of chipotles produced in Mexico are eaten there, leaving little for export.
To make up for lack of the típico variety to export, producers in the northern states of Mexico, particularly Chihuahua, have turned to the moritas, which are much less expensive to produce. Unfortunately, they call the moritas "chipotles" and sometimes claim that they have never heard of the típico variety. To further confuse the issue, in the interior, the típico is known by brokers as "Veracruz."
Other varieties of smoked chiles include:
Cobán: a piquín chile that is smoked in southern Mexico and Guatemala.
Pasilla de Oaxaca: a variety of pasilla chile that is smoked in Oaxaca and is used in the famous mole negro.
Jalapeño chico: jalapeños that are smoked while still green. Usually, they are culls from the fresh market that need to be preserved, and the smoke-drying process obscures any blemishes.
Capones: This rare smoked chile is a red jalapeño without seeds; the term means "castrated ones." They are quite expensive and are rarely exported.
Habanero: recently, a smoked habanero product has been introduced into the United States. It is used as a very hot substitute for chipotles.
Heat Scale
Of course, the heat scale of smoked chiles varies considerably. The coban and habaneros are the hottest of the smoked chiles and the morita and típico are the mildest. Since jalapeños themselves have medium heat, when smoked they retain the same heat level, which ranges from about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, measured in the dried form. By comparison, New Mexican chiles are typically 500 to 1,000 Scoville Units, and habaneros range from 80,000 to more than 300,000 Scoville Units. When many chipotles are added to a dish, the result can be quite pungent.
Recipes
Chipotles Adobados (Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce)
Here's a pickled chile recipe from Tlaxcala. These sweet-hot pickled chiles can be the basis of a sauce of their own if they're further puréed, or they can be served as a condiment with enchiladas and other main dishes. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.
½ pound dried chipotle chiles, stems removed
Water to rehydrate
1 quart vinegar
1 head garlic, peeled and crushed
½ cup piloncillo, or ½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup roasted and peeled green chile, such as poblano or New Mexican
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
6 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
Soak the chipotles in water until they re-hydrate, at least an hour, then drain.
In a saucepan, add ½ of the vinegar, ½ of the garlic and the brown sugar. Cook this mixture for about 20 minutes, then add the chipotles.
In another pan, combine the green chile, tomato, remaining garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, cumin, remaining vinegar, and salt to taste. Cook for about 30 minutes, covered, over a medium heat. Add the chipotle chile mixture, stir well, and store in sterilized jars.
Yield: About 1 ½ quarts
Heat Scale: Hot
Tlatonile (Tomato-Peanut Salsa)
This salsa comes from the village of Huatasco in the state of Veracruz. It makes a tasty sauce for grilled or roasted meats and poultry. The recipe was collected from an old cookbook of Veracruz-area recipes.
5 to 6 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup minced white onion
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1 to 2 chipotle chiles en adobo, finely chopped
Juice of ½ fresh lime
Salt to taste
6 to 10 sprigs cilantro, chopped
Combine all the ingredients thoroughly and serve chilled. This makes a wonderful dipping sauce for tortilla chips. You may also serve as a condiment for beef kebabs.
Yield: About 2 ½ cups
Heat Scale: Medium
Use this interesting variation on mayonnaise whenever the bland kind is called for. Also use this as a topping for cold, cooked shrimp and hard-boiled eggs or as a dip for raw vegetables.
2 chipotle chiles, rehydrated, seeds and stems removed, or substitute 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce
½ cup prepared mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon dried cilantro flakes
In a blender or food processor, combine the rehydrated chipotles and 2 teaspoons of the rehydrating water and puree. Alternately, if using chipotles in adobo, puree the chipotles with 2 teaspoons of the sauce.
Add the pureed chipotles to the mayonnaise, sour cream, and cilantro flakes and mix well.
Yield: 1 cup
Heat Scale: Medium
Ah, the wonderful, smoky-hot flavor of the chipotle comes through in this breakfast classic. It can either be baked or microwaved, but either way it takes only a few minutes to prepare.
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 chipotles in adobo, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ onion, chopped
½ cup chicken stock
Vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas, cut into eighths
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Combine the tomatoes, chipotles, garlic, onion, and stock in a blender and puree to make a sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
Heat about ½ inch of oil in a pan. Fry each tortilla in the oil only for a few seconds a side until soft, remove and drain on paper towels.
Combine the sauce and eggs.
To assemble the casserole, line the bottom of a small casserole dish with tortilla wedges, then add 1/3 of the sauce mixture, and top with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat twice more.
Bake the casserole in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes, or microwave on high for about 5 minutes.
Garnish with the cilantro and serve.
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
There are many recipes for black bean soup, but this one is special. From Mary Jane Wilan, it’s an amalgam of Cuban style, Panama style, and Southwestern style. To upgrade the heat, just add more ground pure New Mexican red chile. It also can be cooked down a little and be served over rice as a filling, nutritious main course.
1 pound dried black beans
About 10 cups water
1 whole bell pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large can (28 ounces) tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons New Mexican chile powder
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
Wash the beans and rinse thoroughly. Put them in a large, heavy pot with the water and the whole bell pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 ½ hours, or until the beans are almost tender.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the onion, garlic, and diced bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes, or until the pepper is softened. Add to the cooked beans. Then add all of the remaining ingredients except the last four. Let the beans simmer slowly for about 45 minutes, adding the stock as needed to keep a soupy consistency. Add the vinegar, wine, and olive oil and simmer the beans for another 45 minutes, adding more vegetable stock if necessary.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
This is the famous shredded meat salad that is one of El Paso's most popular and unique dishes. It is called salpicón and it crossed the border because of Julio Ramirez. Julio opened his first restaurant in 1944 in Juárez on Avenida 16 de Septiembre and a second location in El Paso in 1985. The recipe for salpicón has been imitated and begged for, and local restaurateurs have paid hundreds of dollars to professional recipe testers to see if they could approximate the recipe. Finally, the Ramirez family has released it. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.
3 pounds beef brisket
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
1 cup diced white cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup diced, seeded tomatoes
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup wine vinegar
4 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
Diced avocado for garnish
In a large pot, bring the brisket to a boil in water to cover, with the garlic and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 and ½ hours, uncovered, until the meat is tender and can be shredded. Cool the meat in the broth and then shred finely by hand. Reserve the broth to make a stew or soup.
Toss the shredded brisket with the remaining ingredients (except the avocado). Chill the mixture and allow it to marinate for a couple of hours or preferably overnight.
Line a platter with lettuce leaves, place the salpicón on the leaves, and garnish with the avocado. Serve with hot, buttered flour tortillas.
Yield: 12 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
Here's a twist on Buffalo Wings for lovers of all things smoky. However, we have remained somewhat traditional by serving it with Blue Cheese Dip.
2 ½ -pounds chicken wings (12 to 15 wings)
1/4 cup commercial chipotle sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
Split the wings at each joint and discard the tips. Wash the wing sections and pat dry. Deep fry at 400 degrees (high) for 12 minutes or until completely cooked and crispy, then drain.
Combine the chipotle sauce and spices with the melted butter in a small saucepan. Simmer for a couple of minutes to blend the flavors. Dip wings in the sauce to coat completely.
Serve with celery and Blue Cheese Dip (recipe follows).
Yield: 24 to 30 individual pieces.
Heat Scale: Medium
Blue Cheese Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Combine all ingredients and chill for one hour before serving.
Yield: About 1 3/4 cups
Jumbo Shrimp with Smoked Cocktail Sauce
This recipe is so simple we’re almost embarrassed to include it here. But it’s such a tasty twist on the usual shrimp cocktail that we couldn’t resist passing it on. The sauce is also great with steamed oysters and clams.
48 jumbo shrimp, cooked, and chilled
1 jar commercial cocktail sauce
1/4 cup commercial chipotle sauce
Arrange the shrimp attractively on a platter. In a bowl, combine the cocktail sauce and chipotle sauce. Guests dip the shrimp in the newly energized cocktail sauce.
Yield: 8 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
Chipotle-Corn Stuffed Poblano Chiles
Here’s a classic vegetarian dish from the American Southwest that includes two chile flavors, plus two other native favorites, corn and pecans.
2 eggs
1 ½ cups cooked corn
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup chopped onion
1/4 cup commercial chipotle salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
6 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds and stems removed, and halved
Chopped fresh cilanto for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the eggs in a bowl for about 4 minutes, then stir in the remaining ingredients except the poblanos.
Place the poblano halves in a greased baking dish. Place about 1/4 cup of the corn mixure in each half. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro.
Yield: 6 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
Dave's favorite spoonbread recipe features chipotles, and the heat level can be adjusted downwards, if desired. Dried chipotles can be used it they are soaked in hot water for 1 hour before pureeing.
2 ½ cups low-fat milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 eggs (or egg substitute)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon thyme or marjoram
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 chipotle chiles, rehydrated and pureed
½ cup grated jalapeño jack cheese
In a pan, heat 2 cups of milk to simmering and stir in the cornmeal. When the mixture is thick, remove it from the heat.
In a bowl, beat the eggs well and mix in the remaining ½ cup milk, the sugar, salt, and melted margarine. Combine with the hot cornmeal mixture. Stir in the thyme or marjoram, baking powder, and pureed chipotles. Mix thoroughly. Pour into a well-greased 1 ½ quart baking dish or casserole. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 45 minutes or until the spoon bread is firm and lightly browned. Spoon onto plates and serve at once.
Yield: 6 servings
Heat Scale: Hot
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