I have a new buddy in the kitchen. Mexican. Smoky. Very hot! I am so glad I got introduced to chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Love, love, love them! I knew of chipotle peppers but did not know of those ones in adobo sauce until we started selling them at Mr. Gordon’s, the food shop where I work, just a few weeks ago. So, what do I love about them? The marriage of hot and smoky flavours, which can be used in many different ways. Make marinades with them or add a few pieces to stews and casseroles or make dips with it, like chipotle mayonnaise. Beware though as these peppers are really hot that you will want to add a bit at a time until you get the hotness your palate can manage. Chipotle peppers mixed with oil, honey and garlic is a perfect marinade for chicken or pork. Chipotle mayonnaise is perfect with grilled cobs of corn. Last dish I made using these peppers was kale and chipotle chilli beans. Very simple and easy to make. I used a tin of four bean mix but you can use what ever kind of beans you prefer. The super food kale added some texture and nice almost -bitter flavour to this rich dish. I used the Tuscan red kale and green varieties for some visual appeal. It was the perfect comfort food for the very chilly weekend in Sydney. It is a meal in itself but we loved it with slices of rustic bread.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 750g Four Bean Mix
- 450g can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 pieces of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 6-8 kale leaves, stalks removed, leaves torn into pieces
- salt, to taste
- Over medium heat, add olive oil in a medium casserole pot.
- Add and cook onion for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and cumin and cook, while stirring for further two minutes.
- Add beans, tomatoes and chipotle peppers.
- Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream. Season with salt, to taste.
- Add kale leaves. Stir leaves with beans casserole until just wilted.
A complete and satisfying meal on its own but also great served as a side dish to chipolatas. So, what’s next for these chipotle peppers? It is nachos night and you guess it right, nachos will be smoky and hot!
