I follow lots of great chefs, home cooks, and food enthusiasts on twitter, and find it a constant source of kitchen inspiration. This recipe was inspired by one of my favorites, Patricia Jinich, also known as Pati of Pati’s Mexican Table.
Pati posted a photo of a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce the other day and it reminded me that I had an open container of them in the fridge. I rarely use more than one or two chipotle chiles at a time, so when I open a new can, I store the extras in a small tupperware container in the refrigerator, or freeze them. I mentioned to Pati that I had some to use up and she told me that she finds ways to use them every single day. That made me think that maybe I should start adding a bit more smoke and spice to my daily life as well. Since I was planning on eating a salad for lunch that day, I decided that I would start with a chipotle salad dressing.
In case you aren’t familiar with the delicious chipotle chile, let me fill you in. A chipotle is a ripe jalapeño chile pepper that has been smoke dried. The dried chiles are very wrinkled and dark brown – not the prettiest things to look at, but they have an intense, delicious smoky flavor. You can find them whole, ground, or canned in adobo – a combination of vinegar, spices, and tomato puree. I always have at least two forms of chipotle on hand – McCormick Gourmet Chipotle Chili Powder and cans of Chipotle Chiles in Adobo. Someday I’d like try my hand at making my own chipotle chiles in adobo with a little help from Pati.
I used a combination of fresh and dried herbs in my salad dressing. I used lots of fresh cilantro along with roasted cumin, dried oregano, and garlic powder. Although sometimes I do use fresh garlic in dressings, I often turn to garlic powder if I’m going to make a quantity that won’t be used in one meal. I find that using fresh garlic makes the dressing too pungent if it sits for a day or two, but that’s just my preference.
This dressing is easy to make and it was wonderful drizzled over this simple salad of fresh greens, leftover grilled tri-tip, and cherry tomatoes. A perfect lunch. Thanks, Pati!
I have been chosen by McCormick to participate in the McCormick Real Gourmets program. I have been paid by them and I received a big box full of McCormick Gourmet spices. I have been using McCormick Gourmet for years, and am thrilled for the opportunity to explore more of their spices and blends. I used McCormick Gourmet Mediterranean Oregano leaves, roasted ground cumin, and garlic powder to create this dressing recipe.
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
1 chipotle chile from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender; cover then blend until smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate in a covered container. Dressing may be kept, refrigerated, for up to one week.
If you’re a fan of Mexican cooking or think you’d like to learn more about it, I highly recommend you do the following:
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