I just got back from the local food co-op, and while I was there, I picked up a small bag of dried chipotle peppers (.05 of a pound). I bought them on a whim, as the bag was only 54 cents. Now, what should I do with them? They smell great, but I really don’t incorporate peppers into my cooking very often (my preference for ‘hot’ things leads me more to horseradish than peppers). Any good, simple ways to use these? Thanks in advance.
Chili.
Sprinkle it over some mayo on a turkey sandwich.
Just use it however you would use regular hot pepper where a smoky taste would be appropriate.
Pretty sure Lambo is talking about whole peppers, not powdered. You can use them in mole, chili or other Mexican dishes, but probably ought to reconstitute them in some warm water first.
Reconstitute them in warm water. Mix them into sour cream. (You want it to be hot, but not so that your head will explode.) Add sliced mushrooms, and maybe a little coarsly-chopped onion. Put a wild salmon fillet (don’t used farm-raised – it’s not as flavourful) onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour your chipotle sauce over the fillet. Wrap and seal the foil around the fillet and bake in a 375ºF oven until it’s done. Serve with refried beans and fried rice, and maybe some nice squash.
Boil two or three untill soft
1 lrg white onion
1 red bell pepper
3 chip. peppers
lg can peeled tomatos
3.5 lbs chicken breast
Take alll ingredience (Except chicken) throw in a blender and puree.
Now take chicken throw it in a crock pot along with the puree and slow cook it for about 8-10 hours. (last hour add you own style of spices. Personally, I like cumn, salt and garlic powder in about equal parts.)
When done stir chicken up so it falls apart into shreds.
Now you’ve got the making for great chipolte chicken tacos or burritos!!
:smack:
Ah, yes. Well then, reconstitute them, puree them, and add them to mayo and chili. And there’s plenty of nice salsas you can make with reconsituted chipotles and tomatoes or tomatillos, onions, and cilantro or epazote.
I am not up on my food terminology so please educate me. Isn’t the term “dried chipotle peppers” redundant? Aren’t non-dried chipotle peppers called jalapenos?
No. Chipotles are smoked jalapenos (yes, there is a certain amount of drying involved in the process, but it’s not the same as simply a dried jalapeno). You can find “non-dried” chipotles sold in cans–in fact, I think more people are familiar with these chipotles in adobo sauce than the dried varieties.
Chipotles are smoke-dried.
They do lend a rather… well, hot and smoky flavor to things. Very nice.
crush up a few and drop them in a jar of olive oil and let it sit for a couple weeks, then just use the oil when you cook and want some flavor in the dish.
Thanks for the clarification.