finished chipotle sauce

This is a quick and easy recipe that always tastes better than store-bought. I think that I got it from the Williams Sonoma Savoring Mexicocookbook. It’s our second most popular Mexican sauce after tomatillo.

Spicy Chipotle Sauce

3 dried chipotle chiles
2 roma tomatoes
3 cloves garlic with peels
½ tsp. sea salt

Start by boiling some water in a small covered saucepan. Heat a cast iron pan on high. Roast garlic, tomatoes and dried chiles. Use tongs to rotate vegetables and to push chiles onto pan. Chiles take only a minute or so. You’ll know they’re ready when you notice their smoky aroma. Toss chiles in boiling water, cover and boil for five minutes. Then remove covered pot from heat and let sit for 15 minutes to fully re-hydrate chipotles. After garlic and tomatoes are roasted (about five minutes), peel and discard garlic skins and woody tops of tomatoes. Toss garlic, tomatoes and salt into food processor. Process until smooth. Run chiles under cool water to allow you to pull off stems, and open and remove inner seeds and ribs. Toss prepared chiles into food processor and run again until smooth.

a package of dried chipotles from my local Mexican market

roasting peppers, tomatoes and garlic

Serve with any Mexican dish, rice and beans, tortilla chips or burritos. I love it!