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Anonimo

Jan 9, 2006, 3:02 AM

Post #26 of 44 (3014 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Gracias por la receta y la técnica. I was glad to have that as I had been imagining it as a clear soup.
Does, it, indeed, have medicinal qualites?

So, to recap: (if I have this right) you heat the caldo, you add the chopped herbs, you blend, add back? You chop the chile perón, add. You moisten the masa and add to the broth to thicken it.
Is there any onion or garlic in this soup? Or chopped onion as a garnish? MORE chile as a garnish? Serve with the usual lime wedges?

This soup sounds very elemental, almost stark (like "Stone Soup") but very potent in flavor.

Yes; I think that those Conaculta recetarios were sold at the Encuentro de Las Cocineras, but, alas, I bought none.

Saludos,
Anonimo

esperanza

Jan 9, 2006, 6:32 AM

Post #27 of 44 (3012 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Apparently I did not make the techniques clear in the recipe for this atápakua.

Everything is blended. The soup is smooth, a purée--think the thickness and consistency of cream of tomato soup. Blend the herbs and the chile perón with enough hot caldo de pollo (rich homemade chicken stock, nada de Knorr Suiza) to purée them--the herbs are chopped a bit prior to blending to make the blending easy.

There's no onion or garlic in the soup.

You don't moisten the masa--you put about half a cup of hot broth/herb/chile purée in the blender, add a bolita de masa (the size of the ball depends on the quantity of soup you're making; the last time I made it, I made several cups and used a ball much smaller than a golf ball) and blend it till it's smooth. Then add the mixture back to the pot to thicken the broth.

The soup is served without garnishes.

It's far from stark. It will knock your socks off.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Anonimo

Jan 9, 2006, 7:16 AM

Post #28 of 44 (3009 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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(rich homemade chicken stock, nada de Knorr Suiza)

This means I'll have to buy a chicken? (Gulp!) and cook it????
I was preparing to go out and buy the herbs for the soup. Now, you bring in this chicken thing, and...I don't know... if I can do it. Those creepy little heads, and those (ugh!) claws.

Wait! I know where I can get excellent chicken stock, without ever touching a clammy, creepy chicken: Ricas Sopas de Gallina Doña Mary, on the Libramiento (another in front of the Basilica and Ave Serrato). Plus, the brothers are very friendly. They can handle the icky details for me.

;-)

Thanks for the clarified soup technique.

Saludos,
Anonimo

Gayla

Jan 9, 2006, 1:12 PM

Post #29 of 44 (3000 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Oh please.............whole chickens are not that scary.

Last week I had dinner with friends. One happened to mention that he thought he'd finally found a place that did fresh butchering of poultry here in San Diego. My grandparents own and operated a poultry ranch for many years, so I grew up eating lots and lots of fresh, free-range, tender and tasty chicken. I didn't, however, do the butching. So when my friend said he'd seen two little Asian ladies lugging a bag with feet and feathers hanging out of it I was intrigued. He told me where to find the shop and I happened to be sorta nearby last Saturday. As I turned onto the street all I could see were signs in Vietnamese but as I was passing one small shopping center, in big letters - POLLOS PATOS VIVOS y FRESCO. Bingo, that I could understand. So I doubled back and went in.

My nose was immediately assulted with that fresh kill smell and the butchering process was clearly visible through a large plate glass window into a back room. Thankfully, the part where they dispatch the chicken wasn't visible. I guess I should mention that I was the only non-Asian, native English speaker in the place at this point.

"What you want" the counter lady asked me in good, but heavily accented English
"Umm.........I need a whole chicken" I responded

Now, there was a large, glass enclosed, refrigerated meat case right there in front with an assortment of whole body chickens right there. I figured the lady would reach in and get one of those birds. But no. She disappeared through a door into the back room and returned a few mintues later with a bird stuffed into yet another clear plastic bag. She plopped it up on the scale and we completed the transaction. She put the bird in a plastic grocery bag and handed it over the counter to me. I grabbed the handles with my right hand and put my left hand on the bottom of the bag to support it until I got it over the counter onto my side. Hmmm..........bottom feels kinda squishy.

Once home I decided that even though the place had been fairly clean, that since it was an unknown quantity to me I had better pay a little closer attention and spend a few extra mintues washing the bird as a precaution. Precaution for what I don't know, since cooking would kill anything, but I figured it was better to err on the side of safety than not. Given the dinner conversation that had sent me on this wild goose chase -ah make that wild chicken chase - for a fresh bird, I was fairly certain that my prized possession would still have feet. Sure enough when I opened the plastic bag to get the chicken out, there staring me in the eyeballs were 2 chicken feet. No problem. I reached in, grabbed them both around the ankles, or what passes for chicken ankles and pulled. The chicken kept coming and kept coming until I discovered just exactly why it had felt squishy on the bottom. Yep, the neck and head was still attached.

Clearly, something had gotten lost in translation. I had asked for a whole chicken and by gosh, that's exactly what I got. From beak to claw a whole chicken. I guess this gives new meaning to the old phrase, be careful what you ask for. I actually found the whole thing pretty amusing on a whole lot of levels. First the communication breakdown, second for the "eewwww" factor and third because now I was going to have to actually deal with getting rid of the feet and head.

I picked the chicken up by the feet, kind of turned it over a few times to figure out the best angle. I got out my trusty 10" chef's knife and sharpened it up real well. I stood there looking at this thing on my cutting board. I walked around it a few times. And I laughed at myself quite a bit. Finally, I gave each leg a whack at what would be the knee joint, dispensed with those fairly quickly and set them aside. I picked the chicken up by the neck looking for the best place to, well, you get the picture. Finally took one mighty chop at the base and lopped it off.

Sure hope my mother doesn't find that chicken head in the freezer before trash day rolls around this Friday :-). I wonder how she'll feel about the pig head I'm going to buy for posole.................

jennifer rose

Jan 9, 2006, 1:21 PM

Post #30 of 44 (2998 views)

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Chicken feet

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At your local chicken butcher you'll find chicken feet for sale. Try and get those which have already have had the outer, course skin peeled off and the claws plucked out. If not, it's an easy matter to scald the feet once you're in your own kitchen and remove that final layer of skin, snipping off the claws.

Place about four pair of chicken feet in the pressure cooker and blast away. Remove the feet and discard or look for someone who likes cooked chicken feet. Strain the broth, and you'll find yourself blessed with the most wonderful, rich, fat-free broth you'll ever taste.

TlxcalaClaudia

Jan 9, 2006, 1:40 PM

Post #31 of 44 (2993 views)

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Re: [Gayla] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Gayla-
that is a hilarious post. I laughed, then realized I'm with Anonimo on this one. THankfully hubby can do a chop-a-chop for me if i ever get sqeamish. Still, I want to try this at least once.

Claudine

Anonimo

Jan 9, 2006, 1:45 PM

Post #32 of 44 (2991 views)

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Re: [Gayla] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Oh please.............whole chickens are not that scary.

I know, Gayla, I was exaggerating for effect. I realized that chicken feet in the stock add "body".
Nevertheless, when we were shopping in the Pátzcuaro mercado this morning, and I saw headless, footloose chickens, I grabbed one up. It is now cooked in a broth with aromatic vegetables and is cooling.

Atápakua mañana.

Meanwhile, we are munching fabulous, homecooked hamburgers, the meat freshly ground before our eyes at the Hieronymous Boschian Carnicería La Norteña, in the mercado.

By the way, that was a great post on buying your chicken. It was worthy of egullet.org!

Saludos,
Anonimo

Rolly

Jan 9, 2006, 1:55 PM

Post #33 of 44 (2988 views)

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Re: [TlxcalaClaudia] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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When I was a boy growing up in Texas, we had fried chicken every Sunday. On Saturday my mother would bring home two live chickens. It was my job to kill them. Easy. Just grab the head, swing the body around in the air swiftly. In about 3 or 4 circles, the head and the chicken will part company, and the chicken will flop around on the ground slinging blood all over the place. I usually had an audience of neighborhood kids. The girls would feign horror, but they came every Saturday afternoon.

City kids miss out on lots of fun things.

Rolly Pirate

Gayla

Jan 9, 2006, 2:06 PM

Post #34 of 44 (2984 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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You didn't strike me as the squimish type :-)).

A version of the story is posted on eGullet, in the Cooking section under the thread entitled Dinner or What's for Dinner on page 408 or 409. I post as Kalypso on eGullet and most other sites. I only use my real name here and on Chowhound.

The rest of the story is on eGullet; that the chicken turned out to be what my grandmother called an "old hen" meaning that it was an old chicken, probably an old layer, and only suitable for moist cooking. And in my grandmother's case that usually meant Chicken & Dumplings. About the time I got the feet and head off I realized I had an old (in age) bird and I needed to do something other than roast it with the lemon/herb butter that I had intended. But no, I had to be stubborn and roast it. Nice flavor, but fairly tough. Enchiladas Suisse for dinner tonight.

Anonimo

Jan 9, 2006, 2:36 PM

Post #35 of 44 (2981 views)

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Re: [Gayla] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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You didn't strike me as the squimish type :-)).

I am only part-squeamish.
I have used odd pig parts such as ears, tails and feet to make a gumbo stock. Creepy, but do-able. The resulting stock was extremely gelatinous when cold.

But, that's gumbo, and as far as I know, that's not a Mexican soup.

Saludos,
Anonimo

esperanza

Jan 9, 2006, 2:55 PM

Post #36 of 44 (2976 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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The pig parts would be for pozole, including the head. Everything but the squeal, folks.

The first time I ever ate pozole was at the home of a new friend in Tijuana. My friend owned a tiny (think three stools at a counter) working-man's restaurant. She asked me after Mass one morning if I had ever eaten pozole. No, I was new to Mexico and didn't even know what pozole was. She grabbed at her heart, her eyes widened, and in shock she said that I must go to her house for lunch the following day. She would make pozole for the restaurant, and for me.

I arrived and she took me into her wee kitchen. On the stove was a pot nearly as tall as she was. On the counter were two basins--huge porcelain bowls. She had already put pork meat into both of them. After I was welcomed and seated, she ladled fragrant broth and nixtamal into each bowl and set them on the table, one for each of us. She showed me the condiments: finely shredded cabbage, thin sliced radishes, minced onion, limones to squeeze into the broth, dried oregano to crumble on top, sea salt, and a roasted tomato salsa ranchera to give it picante.

As she was about to sit down, she once again grabbed at her heart and exclaimed, "¡Ay dios, no tienes suficiente carne!" (Oh dear, you don't have enough meat!) She jumped up and took my bowl away. Plunging a long, two-tined fork into the pot, she said it would be just a second.

And she pulled out the entire pig's head.

Gulp.

Already well-schooled in the thou shalt not offend thy host manners of Mexico, I tried not to fall off my chair. She sliced a few pieces of tender cheek meat into my bowl and served it to me again. I dutifully piled on all of the condiments and chowed down. I've loved pozole ever since.

My dear friend, Sra. María Medina of Calle Cuatro in Tijuana, has long since passed away. I'd wager she's making pozole for the angels--if there are pigs' heads to be had in heaven.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

(This post was edited by esperanza on Jan 9, 2006, 9:28 PM)

Caarina12

Jan 9, 2006, 4:26 PM

Post #37 of 44 (2965 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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This is a great discussion!

My favorite soups are all over the map. I particularly like the homey, economical and filling soups that are common in Mexico.

Xonequi (From Central Highlands of Veracruz)-- Black bean soup with xonequi greens (at home I use Swiss Chard) and chochoyones. I first made this recipe from My Mexico by Diana Kennedy and had the good fortune to try some on a trip to Xalapa.

Green Pozole-- from Guerrero. DELICOUS! I have tried various versions, including some ultra heavy stuff in Taxco, but I really like the version that DK has in The Art of Mexican Cooking

Tortilla Soup--I love it because it clearly demonstrates the economy and use of all ingredients in the Mexican home.

My MIL's Lentil Soup. Simply a lentil soup stewed with onion, garlic, tomato and anaheim chile seasoned with mexican oregano, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Serve with tortillas, avocado and chipotle chiles and I'm in heaven.

Sopa de Lima-- from the Yucatan. Gotta love this stuff.

TlxcalaClaudia

Jan 9, 2006, 6:38 PM

Post #38 of 44 (2954 views)

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Re: [Caarina12] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Caarina-
What is green pozole?

Esperanza- great story.

Claudine

Caarina12

Jan 10, 2006, 9:09 AM

Post #39 of 44 (2929 views)

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Re: [TlxcalaClaudia] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Green Pozole is a regional specialty from the state of Guerrero. Here's a very "quick" version of how to make it which I am paraphrasing from Diana Kennedy. The base of the dish is the posole corn and its cooking liquid. Then garlic, white onion, tomatillos, cilantro, pepitas, spinach (or chard) are blended and added to the soup and simmered until the soup is well seasoned but not overcooked or the soup loses it's freshness. Garnish with mexican oregano, more cilantro, avocado, onion and chicharron (or fried tortilla strips if vegetarian).

There are other versions which include pork as well.

Anonimo

Jan 10, 2006, 4:08 PM

Post #40 of 44 (2914 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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I made that atápakua today but I dared to make a small modification. I had two elotes in the fridge that needed using, so I scraped the kernels into the simmering caldo before pureeing the small bunch of epazote, a slightly larger one of cilantro and two chiles perón. (Medio picante)

All went well, but when I tried to thicken it with the lump of masa I'd bought yesterday, it tended to lump. I whisked it to no avail. So, after tasting it, and deciding that ALL the epazote was a good idea, I blended a few cups of the caldo caliente in the blender. (KIDS! Don't try this at home without parental supervision!). It tends to explode out of the blender, even though it wasn't even half full.
The color is a lovely green, and the taste is excellent. I had to add a touch of salt.

I served it to our guests, our neighbors who had dropped in, with small bowls of cebolla picada, más chile perón, and a bowl of cut limones. All enjoyed it.
Steamed rice was served as an antidote if there were too much chile heat.

Even more epazote would have been could.
I am checking my hairline now for renewed growth.

Saludos,
Anonimo

esperanza

Jan 10, 2006, 5:00 PM

Post #41 of 44 (2907 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Ay ay ay Anónimo, you left out a step: the technique (q.v.) calls for putting a small amount of the caldo into the blender and blending it thorougly with the masa BEFORE adding it to the rest of the atápakua to thicken it. That way you don't get lumps.

Hot liquids in the blender are treacherous. I permanently spotted a ceiling with boiling hot tomato sauce doing just what you did. Like you, I was lucky not to scald myself.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. The corn sounds like an interesting addition, I'll try it myself sometime.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

song_of_joy

Jan 10, 2006, 8:06 PM

Post #42 of 44 (2895 views)

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Re: [Caarina12] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Here's a recipe from this month in Mexconnect.
http://www.mexconnected.com/.../puebla/kg0106d.html

Geez, doesn't anyone read the articles at www.mexconnected.com?
: (

sfmacaws

Jan 15, 2006, 12:59 AM

Post #43 of 44 (2867 views)

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Re: [song_of_joy] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Here's a recipe for the Caldo Xochitl that I mentioned (and misspelled) earlier. As far as soups go, I'm mostly a consumer and not a maker so I can't give a personal recipe, this sounds like the ones I like though. http://www.soupsong.com/ravocad.html I saw some more complicated recipes while searching but the soup I like is based on a really rich chicken broth with chicken pieces, fideos and the garnishes in the colors of the Mexican flag.

Quote

Geez, doesn't anyone read the articles at www.mexconnected.com?
: (

We're supposed to read the articles? This isn't Playboy!

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

sfmacaws

Jan 15, 2006, 1:04 AM

Post #44 of 44 (2866 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Mexican Soups-Your Favorites

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Gee, and right here on MC - in the Articles! - is a recipe for Sopa de Pan.

http://www.mexconnect.com/...a/kgchiapassopa.html

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

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