Chipotle Sauce
The smoky flavour of this rich sauce makes it ideal for barbecue-cooked food, either as a marinade or as an accompaniment. It is also wonderful stirred into cream cheese as a sandwich filling, or with chicken. Chipotle chillies are smoke-dried Jalapeños.
Overview
A deeply complex, rich sauce combining charred tomatoes with smoldering chipotle peppers, garlic, and red wine. The result is a sophisticated, multi-layered sauce with warm spice, subtle smoke, and complex depth that elevates barbecue fare from simple to restaurant-quality.
Ingredients
Produce
- 500 grams tomatoes
- 5 chipotle chillies
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
Liquid & flavourings
- 150 ml red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons clear honey
- 1 teaspoon American mustard
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
Stage 1 - Roast tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a roasting pan.
- Roast the tomatoes for 45-60 minutes, until they are charred.
Stage 2 - Prepare chillies
- Meanwhile, soak the chillies in a bowl of cold water to cover for about 20 minutes or until they are soft.
- Remove the stalks, slit the chillies and scrape out the seeds with a small sharp knife. Discard the seeds if necessary.
- Chop the chillies roughly.
Stage 3 - Purée vegetables
- Remove the tomatoes from the oven, let them cool slightly and then remove the skins and seeds.
- Put the tomatoes in a food processor and purée.
- Add the chillies, garlic and red wine, and process until the mixture is homogeneous.
Stage 4 - Add seasonings & reduce
- Add the oregano, honey, mustard and black pepper.
- Stir to mix, then check for seasoning.
- Pour the mixture into a small pan and slowly bring to the boil over a medium heat.
- Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- This sauce can be served hot or cold.
Notes
- Charring tomatoes: Essential for depth; creates caramelized sugars that balance sweetness.
- Chipotle seeds: Remove to reduce heat level if preferred; seeds concentrate spiciness.
- Smoke-dried peppers: Source of this sauce's distinctive smoky character; no substitute.
Serving
Serve as marinade for grilled meats or as an accompaniment to barbecue. Also excellent stirred into cream cheese for sandwich filling or mixed with sour cream for a dip.
Storage
- Keeps refrigerated for 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Flavour improves slightly with time as spices continue to infuse.
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