cherry & chipotle barbecue sauce

(Final) Day 7 of Seven Days of Cherries!

Once upon a time, no one in Australia had any idea what a chipotle was. I was lucky enough to have an American father who introduced them to me in my youth, as well as some Mexican pals who reminded me about these wonderful little gems and even showed me where to buy some (from the shop across the street from my house!!!).

These days chipotles are fast becoming a trendy item in Aussie restaurants, part of a resurgence in North American dishes and a new interest in Latin American cooking.

Chipotles, as I am sure I’ve blogged many times before, are smoked jalapeño chillies. They are spicy but they are also incredibly smoky and sweet, and are perfect for flavouring sauces.

Personally I love chipotles en adobo, which means they come in a can of sauce typically made from tomato, paprika, onions, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and oregano. The chillies are already reconstituted and don’t need to be soaked back into softness, and the sauce has made them a little sour.

This sauce was very easy to make, even if it does contain loads of ingredients. You could cut out or add your own bits and pieces. Basically this is a sauce made from whatever is in the fridge and cupboard. The important part to remember is balancing the sweet and the acidity, so you end up with an even flavour.

I gave a bottle of this to my father for Christmas and kept a smaller bottle for my husband. It’s perfect for sticky ribs, barbecued meat and toasted sandwiches.

Cherry & Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Anna’s very own recipe. Makes approx. 1 litre.

Ingredients:
1kg (2.2 lbs) cherries
1 white onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 chipotle chillies in adobo, finely chopped
Olive oil, for cooking

2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
¼ cup tomato paste

800g (1.8lbs) canned crushed tomatoes
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup kecap manis (thick, sweet soy sauce)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon HP sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method:

1. Pit and chop cherries.

2. Heat olive oil and sauté onion until softened but not brown.

3. Add garlic and chipotle chillies and fry until soft too.

4. Next add the paprika, ground cumin and ground coriander and stir through.

5. Add the tomato paste and fry until thickened.

6. Add the remaining ingredients (cherries, canned tomatoes, ketchup, kecap manis, maple syrup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce, apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar).

7. Stir well and then simmer down for 20 minutes until reduced slightly and thickened. Taste to ensure sweetness and acidity is well balanced.

8. Blend into a puree in a processor or blender. While still hot, poor into glass bottles and seal.

This is my last cherry post after seven days of pure cherry recipes:
• Cherry, Feta & Oregano Salad
• Cherry Almond Shake
• Pickled Cherries
• Cherry & Vanilla Jam
• Cherry Vinegar
• Cherries in Amaretto Syrup
• Cherry & Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

With my theme ingredient being cherries (of course!) this is also my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Cinzia from Cindystar.