Posted on: Wednesday, August 29, 2001

Off the Shelf
Chipotle pepper has chocolaty, smoky flavor

The chipotle is most commonly available canned with adobo sauce. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

Advertiser Staff

Take a jalapeno pepper, dry it and smoke it and you have a chipotle pepper. Dark brown and wrinkly, the chipotle is hot, but there's a sweetness to it and a smoky, chocolaty flavor quality. To use a dried chipotle, gently heat in a skillet and soak in water. Canned chipotles come pickled in adobo sauce and are very flavorful. Puree one or two and add to a half cup of mayonnaise for a chipotle sauce that's excellent with grilled fish or chicken, crudites or crusty bread.