Adobo (Mexican Smoked Chile Marinade)

Source: Food Day, July 9, ‘91 From: Valerie Whittle

3 oranges
1 lime
2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles or to taste
3 cloves garlic (1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

This spicy marinade owes its unusual flavor to the chipotle, a
smoked jalapeno chile.
Chipotles are usually sold canned in tomato
paste.
Look for them at Mexican and Latin American markets.
Adobo
marinade goes particularly well with pork.

Juice the oranges and lime.
Finely chop chiles and garlic.
Place
citrus juices, chilies, garlic, oregano, cumin, black pepper,
vinegar and salt in blender and puree until smooth.

Makes enough marinade for 1 1/2 to 2 pounds meat or chicken.

Rustic Red Chile Sauce

This rustic sauce is used over enchiladas or tamales.
You can
also serve it on top of chicken breast, pork chops or grilled
steak.

Low fat - low calorie

10 to 12 large dried ancho chiles (20 if small to medium)
2 to 3 cups water (divided use)
1 small white onion, chopped
3 to 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon salt

Wash the dried anchos.
Soak overnight or fill a medium pan with
hot water (enough to cover the peppers).
Bring the water to a boil,
remove from heat, then add the peppers and soak 30 minutes.
Save
the water.

In a skillet, sauté onion in 2 to 3 tablespoons of
water until soft and clear (sautéing in oil can cause
a bitter taste).
Do not brown the onion.

Clean stems and seeds from anchos.
Sprinkle water in the skillet
over a medium heat.
Lay the chiles flat.
Sauté for 1
minute on each side Do not burn the skin.
If you do burn a spot,
cut it off or the taste will taint the whole batch.

In a blender add 1 cup of reserved water, ancho peppers, onion,
chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano and salt.
(The chipotle peppers are hot, so add to taste.) Slowly add 1 cup
of water and puree until the ingredients are smooth.
There should
be no skin pulp in the sauce.
If you want it hotter, add a few
fresh jalapeños (not pickled).
The sauce should
mound slightly when finished, so you may have to add a little more
water to thin it.
Makes 4 cups.

The sauce keeps for about a week in the refrigerator, and it
freezes well.

Per tablespoon: Cal 33 (21% fat) Fat 1 g (no sat) Fiber 2 g
No chol Sodium 96 mg Carb 6 g Calcium 8 mg

Lime Sauce

1 can evaporated milk
7 Mexican limes

Squeeze juice from limes, and mix with milk.
Let sit for about
15 minutes.

Serve with fish tacos.

Jalapeno Cabbage Salsa

Serves 8 to 10.

1 head cabbage, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 (12 ounce) can jalapeno vinegar peppers, diced
Salt, to taste

Combine cabbage, tomato and peppers.
Add salt, to taste.

Chipotle Pepper Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon chicken base
3 chipotle chiles, chopped
2 ounces Monterey jack cheese
1 cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a saucepan; add flour and stir for 1 minute.
Add cream and chicken base and stir until the mixture thickens.
Add
chiles and cheese.
Stir until the cheese melts.
Remove from heat.
When the boiling stops, fold in the sour cream.

Jalapeno Pepper Sauce

5 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
12 small tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot, and simmer for 3 hours.
Pour into hot clean jars and seal tightly with lids.
Process in hot
water bath for 10 minutes.
Place jars on towel to cool slowly.

If a more fine-textured sauce is desired, process ingredients in
a blender.