Chilpotle peppers are smoked ripe jalapeño peppers packed in tomato sauce, which can be found in specialty or Mexican grocery stores.

Chilpotle Purée

7-ounce can chilpotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/8 cup olive oil (0.8 oz.wt.)

Sterilize an 8-ounce jam jar and its lid in a pot of boiling water. Place the sterilized jar in a 215-degree F. oven to dry out.

Dump the whole can of peppers and sauce into a food processor or blender. Whirl until smooth. While food processor is running, pour olive oil down through feed tube and whirl until completely blended. Pour into a sterilized 8-ounce jam jar and store in refrigerator.

Yield: 1 cup purée

This usually keeps up to a year in the refrigerator, after which the flavor begins to fade.

This sauce is as hot as any Tabasco sauce. It can be used in cooking or as a condiment.