Soups - Sopas

Although the Mock Turtle sang the praises of "soup of the evening, beautiful soup", here in Mexico it's "soup of the day", that first course that is required on any comida corrida menu. Most Mexic... read more

soups

Chicken and Almond Soup: Sopa de Pollo y Almendras Karen Hursh Graber

This soup can't be beat for a combination of ease and elegance, especially if you make the chicken stock ahead of time. Making stock is easy, since it cooks while you do other things, and it imparts a ... read more

poultry soups

Poblano Corn Chowder: Crema Poblana Karen Hursh Graber

This is probably the most famous soup from the Puebla region. This version is thicker and more textured than most, more of a chowder than the creamy pureed version often found on poblano menus. Ingr... read more

vegetables soups

Cream of Cilantro Soup: Crema de Cilantro Karen Hursh Graber

Ingredients 1 pound calabaza (pattypan or zucchini) stems removed, cubed 1 large potato, peeled and cubed 8 cups chicken stock 2 large leeks, chopped, including 1 inch green (Substitute 3-4 lar... read more

vegetables soups

Garlic and egg drop soup: Sopa de ajo Karen Hursh Graber

This fragrant soup is frequently served in Central Mexico, particularly in Puebla. Made with homemade broth, it is both a comfort food and a home remedy for colds. Ingredients 1 head garlic... read more

eggs vegetables soups

Rich Beef Consomme: Jugo de Res Karen Hursh Graber

I first saw this being prepared many years ago at the home of my friend Isabel Hoyos Gomez, who made it for her ailing father. Here in Mexico, it is said to be a fortifying soup for the aging and infir... read more

meat soups

Chicken in Pulque Broth: Pollo en Pulque Karen Hursh Graber

Now that pulque is sold in cans, it is more accessible to people outside the pulque producing regions, but diluted beer can be substituted and the recipe is written to be used with either one. This hea... read more

poultry main-dishes soups rice-and-grains Hidalgo

Hidalgo Style Fava Bean Soup: Caldo de Habas Estilo de Hidalgo Karen Hursh Graber

Although fresh fava beans appear only in springtime in the markets of Central Mexico, the dried versions are available throughout the year and cook much more quickly than other dried beans. I gave a re... read more

vegetarian soups beans Hidalgo

Vee's too-easy pozole: Pozole facilito Vee Webber

I came up with this recipe when I was working a lot overtime. It was so nice to come home to a house smelling of good pozole. This recipe can be done over a regular stove — just cut cooking time down... read more

soups

Fish Stew from the Costa Chica: Caldo Largo de Pescado Karen Hursh Graber

Ingredients: For the broth: 2 ½ pounds bones from mild white fish, such as snapper or bass, with 1 or 2 heads juice of 1 lime 3 sprigs parsley 1 small onion, roughly choppe... read more

fish main-dishes soups Guerrero

Chicken Vegetable Soup: Caldo Tlalpeño Karen Hursh Graber

This soup is a Mexican classic, and though it is said to have originated in Jalisco, it is found on menus throughout the country. This version is hearty enough to serve as a one-dish meal. The ingredie... read more

poultry main-dishes soups Jalisco

Russian-Mexican beef soup: Caldo ruso de res Karen Hursh Graber

This dish is obviously a holdover from the Mennonites' days as grain farmers in the Ukraine, with the distinctly Mexican additions of chile and tomato. The original recipe calls for the cut of beef cal... read more

vegetables meat main-dishes soups Chihuahua

Chihuahua Mennonite meatball soup: Caldo de albondigas Karen Hursh Graber

This meat-and-potatoes soup, along with a salad and bread or bolillos, could easily serve as a main meal. A friend who has to watch cholesterol makes the meatballs with ground chicken and uses half ... read more

meat main-dishes soups Chihuahua

Cream of Sweet Potato Soup: Crema de Camote Karen Hursh Graber

Cremas, or cream soups, are popular all over Mexico, especially as first courses on wedding menus. The addition of sherry at the end makes this a good starter for a festive fall dinner. Ingredients: ... read more

vegetables soups side-dishes

Durango Beef Stew: Caldillo Duranguense Karen Hursh Graber

This is probably the most famous dish to come from the state of Durango, and can be prepared with beef, pork, or the dried, shredded meat called machaca. If made with beef, a cut called bola, rum... read more

meat main-dishes soups Durango

Oyster mushroom chileatole: Chileatole de setas Karen Hursh Graber

Mushrooms proliferate in the mist-covered hills of north central Veracruz, the only place I have ever seen chileatole made with them, in this case with setas or oyster mushrooms. It would probabl... read more

vegetables poultry soups Veracruz

Spicy seafood soup: Chilpachole Karen Hursh Graber

Chilpachole is a specialty of Veracruz, but it is found all over Mexico, especially in Mexico City, where food of every region comes together. It can be made with either shrimp or crabmeat, and the var... read more

seafood soups Veracruz

Fish "Meatballs": Albondigas de Pescado Karen Hursh Graber

A delicious and economical way to use just about any firm, white-fleshed fish, this is a common meal along Mexico's Pacific coast, especially in Baja California and the Puerto Vallarta area. The alb... read more

fish main-dishes soups Baja California Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Carmen Solis' chicken estofado: Estofado de pollo de Carmen Solis Karen Hursh Graber

To call estofado a "stew" would be like calling Carmen Solis merely a "cook." She is an artisan in the kitchen - in fact, two kitchens, for Carmen has a modern indoor kitchen as well as the trad... read more

poultry main-dishes soups Oaxaca

Pork and hominy Soup: Pozole Karen Hursh Graber

The days of soaking hominy kernels - cacahuazintle - in calcified water and peeling each one individually are fading fast, thanks to the pre-cleaned hominy that comes in packages in the refriger... read more

pork main-dishes soups rice-and-grains

Marinated pork stew: Tatemado Karen Hursh Graber

From tatemar, a Hispanic version of what the Diccionario Mexicano alternately gives as tlatemar, a Nahuatl term for putting something on or in the fire, this dish is cooked in a clay pot.... read more

pork main-dishes soups Colima

Herbed Green Mole: Mole Verde con Hierbas Karen Hursh Graber

Green mole is most commonly found in the states of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Oaxaca, where it is one of los siete moles - the seven famous moles, each with a distinctive color, flavor and arom... read more

pork main-dishes mole-and-pipian soups Oaxaca

Turkey in Piquant Herb and Spice Broth: Pavo en Escabeche Karen Hursh Graber

Two years ago, along the road from Palenque to the Campeche, passing the small campechano town of Esmarga, we stopped at a roadside palapa restaurant - one of the small, thatched-roof eat... read more

poultry main-dishes soups Yucatán Peninsula

Garlic Soup: Sopa de Ajo Karen Hursh Graber

This is the soup that my children still ask for whenever they visit, probably because it combines the delicious, characteristic flavors of Mexico with the ultimate comfort food, homemade broth. Whether... read more

soups

Seafood Pozole: Pozole con Mariscos Karen Hursh Graber

This Gulf Coast version is from Veracruz, but similar seafood pozoles are found along Mexico's Pacific coasts. Most Mexican seafood stews come with the heads on the shrimp, but if you do not like to se... read more

seafood main-dishes soups Veracruz