Chilpotles and Tomatoes

I woke up yesterday morning to a beautiful day and warm weather; finally! I put my capri pants on, donned some sandals and thought it was a day for something vibrant and fresh tasting. Now, I realize that neither chilis or tomatoes are in season right now but I needed something to remind me that their season awaits and the earth is getting ready to grow an amazing crop this year!

Turns out my husband is headed to a guys night out this weekend and so the salsa is going to come in handy for him to take with a few beers. Now, by definition, salsa simply means sauce. This is a sauce that breaks the North American rules for salsa but, it is wonderful. Chipotles are just over ripened jalapenos that are roasted until dry. Canned ones can come packed in oil or in an adobo sauce which has tomatoes, garlic and vinegar. They are very picante but have a fantastic smoky flavour. Either will work well here. I decided to use a can of diced tomatoes because the fresh tomatoes in the store are mealy and under-ripe but you can use fresh when they are good.

Recipe: Smoked Chili Salsa