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. You can make your own dried chipotles, which are smoked and dried jalapenos, or buy them already dried.

½ pound dried chipotle chiles (smoked jalapenos), stems removed
Water to rehydrate
1 quart vinegar
1 head garlic, peeled and crushed
½ cup piloncillo (Mexican unrefined solid cane sugar shaped into cones), 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 rehydrate, at least one hour, then drain.

In a saucepan, add ½ of the vinegar, ½ of the garlic and the piloncillo or 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