Chipotle Ketchup

Photo: flickr user djjewelz

Ingredients

3 dried chipotle chiles see * Note

3 ancho chiles

3 guajillo or pasilla ch

1 onion diced

5 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar - (packed)

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

2 cups tomato paste

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

* Note: If using canned chipotle chiles packed in adobo sauce, remove the seeds and stems and add them to the food processor with the other chiles.

Remove the seeds and stems from the chipotle, ancho and guajillo chiles. Place the chiles, onion and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles, onion and garlic to a food processor, reserving the liquid. Add the brown sugar, cumin, oregano, tomato paste and 1 cup of the reserved chile liquid. Puree, adding more of the chile liquid until the ketchup reaches the desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste. Tightly sealed in a glass jar, the ketchup will keep refrigerated for several months.

This recipe yields about 4 cups.

Yield: 4 cups