(Salsa con Chipotle)
Chipotle chile peppers are smoked jalapeños. They look very different from the green peppers you know and love because the jalapeños are red and ripe before being turned into delicious chipotle peppers. You can find them dried or canned in adobo sauce. These peppers are characterized as “medium” in heat, but when you use as many as I do in this recipe, they can get a bit spicy. Serve this salsa with a side of chips or over grilled meats.
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 garlic cloves, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 cups chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
8 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and let them brown, stirring only a couple of times (about 2 minutes). Add the chipotle with adobo sauce and the tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
Carefully pour the mixture into a blender or food processor. Add the salt, lime juice, and black pepper and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately or save it in the refrigerator for a few days.
VARIATION: If you’re having a hard time finding the canned peppers, you can substitute about 30 dried chipotle peppers, rehydrated and minced.