Chipotle

The beans need to soak overnight, so be sure to start this recipe one day ahead.

Tinga de Puerco Pork shoulder is a humble cut of meat, but it packs a lot of flavor. Here it is simmered with a chipotle-spiked tomato sauce to make a smoky-spicy topping for crisp little tortilla chips. They can be served on a plate as a first course or passed on a tray as a nibble with cocktails or beer. Tinga is also very good as a filling for warm corn smoked Spanish sausage.

Be anything but crabby after enjoying this sunny citrus bisque. You'll net half your daily folate needs per bowl.

Mild tilapia takes beautifully to a robust, smoky cilantro-chipotle sauce.

Chicken soup is an automatic crowd-pleaser, but this Mexican-inspired tortilla soup does the classic one better. Homemade broth is key here, providing a base for brown rice, black beans, and chunks of sweet potato. Cooling pieces of avocado play off of a warm, earthy undercurrent of chipotle chiles.

Albóndigas (meatballs) are often served in a soup or a sauce, but our skewered version needs only a squeeze of refreshing lime juice to bring out their meaty richness. Spicy chipotle, crumbled bacon, and a hint of cumin make them unforgettable.

Smoked salt and paprika give this turkey a smoky southwestern flavor that pairs very nicely with the spicy-sweet gravy. Look for Halen Môn oak-smoked sea salt at specialty foods stores and surfasonline.com.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson.

If you've got the grill going anyway, toss your ears on before you butter them to get a quick char and even deeper flavor.

Cedar-plank cooking infuses the shrimp with a delicious smokiness. Use leftover chipotles in flavored butter, guacamole, and vinaigrettes.

Wear gloves when working with chiles.

Set out all of the components of this fun and delicious dish and allow guests to add their own toppings. Because the chili is meatless, the vegetarians in the crowd can also enjoy this meal by simply omitting the crispy cubed-pork topping.

These spicy snacks taste even better than nachos, plus the avocado and tuna add a hefty 10 grams of heart-healthy fat.

Use this classic Mexican mole sauce to marinate the Mole-Roasted Turkey with Masa Stuffing and Chile Gravy . You'll be left with plenty of extra, which can be served alongside the turkey or frozen for later use. (Try it on turkey sandwiches, roasted chicken, or as a sauce for turkey or chicken tamales.)

Dried cracked corn, after being soaked and cooked, is mixed with milk and brown sugar to make a soupy sweet for indigenous peoples in the highlands of Colombia. Here it adds the thickening base that potatoes would in a traditional chowder. Chipotle and bacon mingle to form a low, smoky whisper of heat.

Think meatless has to mean boring? These delicious patties, made with earthy portabella mushrooms and hearty kasha, defy the bland reputation of vegetarian burgers. A fiery dollop of chipotle mayonnaise makes them even more irresistible.

Two summer favorites join forces in this gratin-style main dish, whose complex flavors belie its ease of preparation.