chipotles in adobo
Smoked, dried jalapeños packed in a dark, sweet-sour sauce of tomato, vinegar and spices, smoky and properly hot.
Chipotles in adobo are smoked jalapeños softened in a spiced tomato and vinegar sauce, usually sold in small cans. Look for them in larger supermarkets on the international shelf, in Latin American shops or by mail order; once opened, they keep for a few weeks in the fridge in another container, or can be frozen in portions.
Substitute:
Dried chipotles, soaked and blended with a little tomato paste and a splash of vinegar, come closest; at a pinch, smoked paprika and a little cayenne with tomato paste give smoke and heat, but not the fleshy texture or the sweet-sour depth of the sauce.
Used in
EnfrijoladasCorn tortillas in a silky chipotle bean sauce with queso fresco and crema30 minFrijoles RefritosMashed, pan-fried pinto beans: creamy, savory and quick to make30 minHuevos RancherosRanch-style eggs: fried eggs on tortillas and beans with roasted tomato salsa45 minMigasSoft scrambled eggs with crispy tortilla pieces, jalapeño and roasted salsa verde40 minTortillasSoft flour flatbreads straight from the pan: warm, pliable and dotted with toasty spots60 minTostadasOven-crisped corn tortillas with creamy chickpea purée, avocado and jalapeño25 min