Chipotle Rub
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.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup corn oil
5 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined (wear rubber gloves)
5 ancho chiles, seeded and deveined (wear rubber gloves)
25 garlic cloves
1-1/2 cups coarse salt
1-1/2 cups tamarind recado (see under Tamarindo Recipes)
Instructions:
In a small heavy skillet dry-roast the oregano over moderate heat, shaking the skillet occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a small bowl and allow the oregano to cool completely. In an electric coffee/spice grinder, grind the oregano unitl fine.
In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, and using tongs, fry the chiles 1 or 2 at a time. Turn the chiles until puffed and just beginning to brown, about 10 seconds. (Do not let chiles burn or rub will be bitter.)
Transfer the chiles as fried to paper towels, and allow them to drain and cool until crisp. Wearing rubber gloves, break the chiles into pieces and in a coffee/spice grinder, grind fine in batches. In a food processor grind the oregano and chiles with garlic and salt until mixture is a shaggy, salt-like consistency. If the mixture seems too moist, put it on a large baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer and dry in middle of an oven, set at the lowest temperature until no longer moist, about 1 hour. Wearing rubber gloves, break up any lumps with your fingers.
Chipotle rub keeps in an airtight container, chilled, for 6 months. Re-grind rub before using.
Makes about 3-1/4 cups.