Essential Sweet and Smoky Seasoning Salsa

This stuff it potent. A little goes a long way. So, one batch will last you for quite a while.
I found this recipe in the book Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen.
You can use this for a condiment or as an ingredient to a dish. I have added a little to homemade salsa before and chili. I also use it to make chipotle shrimp. I will be posting the recipe for chipotle shrimp for the letter S in the challenge.

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups water
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons molasses
3, garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
4oz dried red chipotle chile peppers
Vegetable oil- enough to cover the bottom of a frying pan to a depth of 1/4 inch.

In a saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, and molasses. Bring to a boil and take off heat. Stir until the sugar is all dissolved.
Set aside.
Heat a 10" skillet with oil in it.
When the oil is hot, add some of the chile peppers.
Stir and toast for a couple minutes until they start smelling spicy and have turned a reddish brown.
Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drop into the sugar water.
Repeat with the remaining chile peppers.
Pour off most of the oil in the skillet and than add the garlic to the hot skillet and cook until golden, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic to the chiles.
Pour the water with chiles and garlic into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Blend until smooth.
Heat the oiled skillet back up.
Add the pureed mixture.
Stir good for a minute to make sure nothing sticks.
Turn the heat down to low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
The mixture will be thick like tomato paste.Carefully taste and season with salt if you feel it needs it.
Scape it into a jar and store in the fridge.

To use as a condiment, you need to add a little water to make it more sauce like.
For adding to recipes add a tablespoon or less at a time and taste before adding more.

This makes about 1-1/4 cups.

You can find dried chipotles in Mexican grocery stores. I have also seen Walmart carrying some dried chiles, but I am not sure what all kinds they sell.
You can also get them at Penzeys Spices either online or if there is a store near you.
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Last year's E- Baked Empanadas