Goat Cheese with Chile Morita and Piloncillo Sauce

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.

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Ingredients:

For cheese spread:

6 oz. soft mild goat cheese, at room temperature
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 small garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chile morita paste or minced canned chiles chipoltes in adobo sauce

For sauce:

1 Tbsp. chile morita paste or minced canned chiles chipoltes in adobo sauce
8 oz. piloncillo (Mexican unrefined sugar)
1 cup heavy cream

Accompaniment:

grilled bread, corn chips or crackers

Instructions:

Make cheese spread:

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together the cheeses, garlic paste and chile morita paste, or the minced chipolte chiles. Transfer the mixture to a small serving bowl and chill, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make sauce:

In a small saucepan combine the chile morita paste or the minced chiles chipoltes, piloncillo and cream, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. Break up the sugar, until the piloncillo is melted and the sauce is smooth, about 20 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a small serving bowl and chill, covered, for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Spread the cheese on grilled bread, corn chips or crackers and lightly drizzle with sauce.

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine, April 1996.