Chipotle Aioli

One of the happiest taste discoveries I've made over the past decade is that of the chipotle chile. Made from dried and smoked jalapeño peppers, the distinctive flavor is smoky, sweet, and slightly hot, and I can't seem to get enough of it.  I have chipotle chili powder in my spice rack, dried chipotles in my pantry, and I always have a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in my supply of canned goods. The "Chipotle Aioli" (Page 556) combines Vegan Mayonnaise with canned chipotle chilies, garlic, smoked paprika, and lemon juice for the most luscious spread I've had in a long time. The recipe also calls for olive oil, but I completely omitted this and didn't miss it at all, the other flavors make this aioli so vibrant. And, if you don't want to open an entire can of chilies to use just a couple, you can use ½ to 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder, and that works just as well. The first time I made this I used it as a dressing for a salad I put together from hominy, corn, black olives, and green onions - a wonderful combination of flavors! But you'll find many uses for this, from a topping for Mexican food, veggie burgers, sandwiches, rice and beans, grilled vegetables…you get the idea!

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Use oil free mayonnaise as the base, such as the Vegan Mayonnaise in this book (with my changes).
• Omit adding any extra oil to the aioli - you don't need it, and you won't miss it.