Chipotle chiles crop up in the unlikeliest places these days. They add smoke and heat to chutneys, mashed potatoes, and even cream sauces. But like a maestro that reserves his best performance for his hometown, chipotles still work best in Mexican-influenced recipes – the same food that everyone craves on Super Bowl Sunday.

Chipotle chiles are nothing more than smoked, dried jalapenos, but they manage to have a deep, rich flavor, almost like super spicy barbecue sauce. And like that condiment, they give food that macho touch of smoke without ever having to fire up the grill.

When it comes to seniority, though, the chipotle (pronounced “chi-POHT-ley”) easily trumps KC Masterpiece. The Aztecs were preparing them centuries ago. Indeed, the word chipotle derives from the Aztec words chil (chile) and pochilli (to smoke). Since the thick flesh of jalapenos made them difficult to dry naturally without deteriorating, the Aztecs preserved them the same way they did their meat: by smoking them slowly over wood.

Nowadays, chipotles are still an essential part of south-of-the-border cooking. Hotter than the ancho, milder than the guajillo, the chipotle has a middle-of-the-road level of heat, one that will please chileheads and chile-phobes alike. And if you’re feeding a crowd, the chipotle is definitely your chile – it will ignite your mouth just enough to warrant another sip of beer.

Like other dried chiles, chipotles can be bought in their natural whole state, and soaked until pliable. But that’s too much fuss, and the dried pods can taste too aggressively of smoke. Open up a can of chipotles in adobo instead, or in a pinch, use chipotle-flavored hot sauce (the McIlhenny Company, famous for Tabasco, makes a good one). The canned chiles are packed in a spicy tomato-based sauce, and they’re ready to throw into any Super Bowl dish that needs extra punch. If you’ve got a platter of Buffalo wings that needs an extra boost, toss them in a bowl with a few seeded, minced chipotles. Stir some chipotle into a creamy dip for a smokiness that goes great with potato chips or (gasp!) raw vegetables.

But the king of all dips, of course, is salsa, and chipotle chiles make for an addictive version. Like most traditional Mexican salsas, salsa del norte is cooked rather than raw. Tomatoes, garlic, and onion are roasted until nicely charred, going head to head with the smokiness of the chipotles themselves. Cooking the tomatoes smoothes out the acidity of those rock-like wintertime specimens, too. This is a sauce that invites a bit of tweaking – once it’s blended, taste it and feel free to add another chipotle or two for more heat, more cilantro, or a bit more vinegar for a different kind of bite.

Chili is another Super Bowl classic that gets super-charged with a dose of chipotle. Some recipes call for simply adding a chipotle or two to the simmering chili, but the flavor permeates even more when extra chopped chiles are blended into the ground beef before it’s cooked. Ladle out big bowls and set them out with all the fixings as a half-time snack. For even more decadence, make chili quesadillas. Sandwich some chili, a mixture of cheddar and jack cheese, and chopped scallions between two flour tortillas, and toast them to chewy crispiness in a big skillet. Eat carefully. But the ultimate delicious chili mess, of course, is nachos. Layer the tortillas with plenty of chili, top with cheese, and don’t forget to top the whole thing with chipotle’s green and tangy cousin, pickled jalapenos.

But don’t get me wrong. A recipe doesn’t have to be rib-sticking and TV-friendly to benefit from a chipotle. Albondigas en chipotle, or meatballs in chipotle sauce, is a classic Mexican dish that makes for an easy winter dinner. Make your favorite meatball recipe (or buy them frozen) and throw together a simple version of the chipotle sauce by simmering three or four chopped seeded chipotles with a can of tomatoes, a pinch of oregano, half a teaspoon of crushed cumin seeds, and a spoonful of brown sugar. For something lighter, try poached shrimp, lobster, or crab dipped into a Veracruz-style chipotle mayonnaise. That’s just a cup of good mayo, a chipotle, a squeeze of lime, and a minced garlic clove.

Classic but still unexpected, like the chipotle itself.

Salsa del Norte

1 pound plum tomatoes
3-4 plump garlic cloves, unpeeled
1-inch-thick slice of onion
2-3 canned chipotle chiles, seeded
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 Preheat the oven to 4500F. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise, through the stem.

2 Arrange the tomato halves, cut side up, on a large baking sheet and roast until softened, somewhat shriveled, and blackened in spots, 20-30 minutes. Add the garlic and onion to the baking sheet in the last 5 minutes of roasting.

3 Transfer the contents of the baking sheet to a blender and let cool slightly. Add the chipotles, salt, oil, vinegar, and cilantro, and puree until blended but still rough textured. Taste for seasoning and pour into a bowl for dipping Makes about 2 cups.

Super Bowl Chipotle Chili

FOR THE MEAT
2 pounds ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 canned chipotle chilis in adobo, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE CHILI
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 red pepper seeded and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

TOPPINGS
Sour cream, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped scallions

1 In a large bowl, mix the meat ingredients together with your hands until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

2 Heat a large pot over medium heat, and add the oil and onions. Saute for 8-10 minutes, until the onions are softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, stir once or twice, then add the chopped peppers. Saute for a few minutes more.

3 Add the spices and stir constantly for 30 seconds to release the aroma. Add the meat mixture and stir, breaking up the meat and cooking until it’s no longer pink. 4 Add the salt, tomatoes, beans, corn, and cilantro, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the chili is thickened and the flavors are blended. Taste for seasonings, then serve with any toppings you’d like. SERVES 8