In this series, we ask chefs about the secret ingredients they love, and how you can use them at home. Here, executive chef Ricardo Camacho of Añejo in New York City enlightens us about the chipotle pepper, a smoky and savory mainstay of Mexican cuisine. The chipotle begins its journey as a simple jalapeño pepper. Once the jalapeño becomes fully ripe on the vine, turning from green to red, it is smoked for several days until dried, completing its transformation.
Secret Ingredient: Cooking Mexican food for the last 10 years, I’ve come to understand the importance of chilies in the cuisine. But there is one chile that I reach for far more than anything else when cooking: the chipotle.
