Chiles, Chipotle in Adobo Sauce

This Mexican product is a must for pepper lovers and speeds up the process of sauce making. Chipotles are mixed into a thick, mild tomato paste and then cooked together during the canning process. These are about a 5 to 6 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. Unused chipotles can be kept for a couple of months refrigerated in a sealed container. Use these in barbeque and hot wing sauces, salsas or eat them right out of the can. Ingredients: Chipotle chiles, tomato paste, onion, salt, water, citric acid and spices.

Having a canned “wet” version eliminates the work of soaking (about 20 minutes) or boiling and is very handy. For mild taste, drop them into the sauce or salsa whole while cooking and remove before serving. If you want the full heat and flavor, mince them (don’t worry about removing the seeds) and mix them into your dish thoroughly.