My friend, Trudy, would bring me back a jar of this delicious chili spread when she would visit her second home in the boot of Italy. I always use it up right away and decided it couldn’t be that hard to make. So I set to work. I found the most beautiful red chilis and put them in my processor with a couple cloves of garlic, a handful of salt and then broke open a can of chipotle chilis from my trip to the USA. Here is the brand on Amazon.com: La Costena. Here is the brand on Amazon.de: La Costena. You can use fresh or dried as well if you can find them in Europe. These babies are busting hot and so I only use 1/2 of a chipotle chili in the mix. You can always add more but you can’t take it out! Just love the smoky flavor they bring to the creation.
I topped it off with a layer of oil olive and sealed the jar then placed it in the fridge for a few days. Holy Moly this is hot-tot-toddy and so flavorful. I use it instead of tomato sauce on my pizza crust, for Indian and Asian foods and for marinades. Add a teaspoon to my Basic Bold Tomato Sauce to give it a punch. Add a dash to my Smokey Chipotle Coleslaw or to my Foolproof Mayo to give it a dynamic flavor. It’s endless and can set your ears on fire so, easy does it! I’m sure you will find a million uses for this smokey peppery spread, especially if you’re one who likes your food with a kick.
Tip: I’ve had my jar for a month in the fridge and it is still amazing!
Chipotle Chili Spread
Ingredients
- 1/2 lbs red chilis about 500 grams
- 1/2 chipotle chili or 1 whole if you like it hot
- 1-2 cloves fresh garlic I like 3...
- 1 Tbsp organic Apple Cider Vinagar
- 2 Tbsp himalayan salt
- 1/2 cups olive oil plus a bit to top off the jar.
Directions
- Step 1 Wash the red peppers and roughly cut in half. Keep the seeds. This is what makes it ver.y hot! Dice up the garlic.
- Step 2 Place all the ingredients into your food processor and blend until smooth. I leave some chunks and the red pepper seeds are still visible.
- Step 3 Place in a jar and cover the top with a layer of olive oil.
- Step 4 You can use it right away but if you let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days it will get much hotter and the chipotle has a chance to merge with the garlic and red peppers.
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.