Caldo Tlapeno
Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.
Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.
CALDO TLAPENO
Ingredients:
2 quarts chicken broth, preferably homemade
1 large chicken breast (about 1-1/4 pounds)
1 sprig each fresh thyme and oregano
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 white onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 oz. cooked ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice
15 oz. can garbanzo beans or chick peas, drained
1 sprig epazote
1/2 tsp. salt
5 canned chipotle chiles, stemmed and diced
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
6 fresh lime wedges
Instructions:
In a very large soup pot, combine the chicken stock and the chicken breast. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and skim off any of the foam that rises to the surface during the first minute or two after it begins to simmer.
Add the herbs, cover, and simmer for 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the chicken cool in the broth. Remove the skin and bones from the breast, then shred the meat and set it aside. Strain the broth into a large bowl and skim the fat from the surface and clean the pot.
Place the dry soup pot over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and saute the onion and carrot, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until its aroma is released. Stir in the chicken broth, ham, garbanzos, and epazote. Partially cover the pan and regulate the heat so the soup simmers for about 30 minutes, then add salt to taste and remove the herb sprigs.
Add the chiles and shredded chicken to the simmering broth and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish each bowl with diced avocado and a wedge of lime.
Yields 6 servings.
Recipe from TOO HOT TAMALES SHOW #TH6222.