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Sopa de Garbanzos

I often have hazy memories of walking softly through fields of garbanzo plants, while the sun set in the background. These were some of the most picturesque memories of my childhood. There was something about walking with care, so that the sticky substance on the pods would not get on my clothes, that brings so many feelings of a deep connection with nature. At the end of the walk we would end up with bushels of fresh garbanzos that were perfect for roasting.

Roasted fresh garbanzo beans in the pod are amazing, specially when they are sprinkled with sea salt or even hot sauce. Almost like the Mexican version of edamame. However, when the garbanzo bean season would pass, what was left was dried garbanzo beans. During these months, no matter what the weather was like, my mom would make a delicious garbanzo bean soup. A soup that was enjoyable both warm and cold, made with simple ingredients, yet always hearty. Filled with notes of cumin but allowing the garbanzo beans to stand out.

As we are still experiencing cold weather in New York and in other areas of the country, I thought it would be the perfect time to share a recipe that means so much to me. This is one of my favorite soups that I grew up with: Sopa de Garbanzos.

Serves approximately 2 bowls

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 minced garlic
2 cups chopped vibe ripe tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups water or cooking liquid
1/4 cup corn oil
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

- In a pot, heat the oil under medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for approximately 3 minutes. Allowing the onion to sweat out all of it’s flavors.
- Then add the garlic and sauté that for approximately 1 minute, just to bring out it’s flavor but don’t allow it to brown.
- Right after add the tomatoes and cook down for about 7 minutes.
- Now you’re ready to add the cumin, black pepper, salt, and garbanzos.
- Sauté for about 3 minutes then add the cooking liquid or water.
- Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook down until it has thickened; approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
- If you prefer a thicker soup after 30 minutes you can take a cup of the garbanzos, grind them to a pulp, add back into soup, and cook down for one hour.

I love to eat this simple soup with corn tortillas but enjoy as you please.

Provecho!

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

Vegan Pozole

Christmas time in Mexico, was always a very special experience for me. My family would gather at my grandmas home on Christmas Eve and we would line up table after table of delicious food. Our feast would begin at about 9 p.m. and we would all sit and enjoy every dish presented to us. At about 11 p.m. we would start caroling or as we call it in Mexico, posadas. Posadas are a type of caroling that re-play the experience that Mother Mary and Joseph went through as they asked for a place to stay before giving birth to baby Jesus. At exactly midnight, we would do a lullaby for baby Jesus then place him to sleep in the nativity set. Soon after, we would gather to break a piñata filled with candy and fruits (including sugar canes) that even the adults would get a chance to hit while blindfolded. Lastly, we would start a bonfire and sit and talk until the morning hours. Later in that day, after we rested for a couple of hours, we would eat all of the left overs and reminisce about the night before.

Obviously, I am nostalgic about Christmas time in Mexico as everything was about being with family, keeping the traditions of posadas, and eating delicious food. Our family never worry about presents but only about what delicious meal to bring to our gatherings. Besides Tamales the second this that was always present during Christmas was a delicious soup called Pozole.

Pozole is a dried chile based soup with hominy*, topped with fresh cabbage, onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Traditionally, this soup is made with pork but today I present you with a delicious and easy vegetarian version of Pozole.

Yields approximately 4 servings

Ingredients:

10 chiles Guajillo
2 puya peppers
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
1.5 hydrating liquid from chiles
1/4 cup corn oil
1 29 oz can of cooked hominy (rinsed)
1/4 of small white onion
7 scallions (roughly chopped)
2 bay leaves
4 inch stick of fresh marjoram
2 “Not-Beef Buillon” cubes
5 cups water

- Remove all the stems from guajillo and puya chiles. Open up and remove all seeds and veins while cutting up into pieces with your hands.

- Boil about 1 quart of water and add the dried chiles. Hydrate for about 5-7 minutes and remove from heat.

- Place all chiles in blender and add garlic, cumin, black pepper, salt, and 1.5 cups of hydrating liquid from the chiles. Blend until very smooth.

- Once sauce is very smooth, strain in a fine mesh strainer to remove all chile skins.

- In a large pot add the corn oil and the sauce together. Turn on the heat to medium and stir, stir, and stir until everything is fully incorporated (approximately 5 minutes).

- Now you are ready to add all of the other ingredients: hominy, onion, scallions, bay leaves, marjoram, Buillon cubes, and water.

- Bring everything to a boil then lower heat. Cook everything under low heat for approximately 40 minutes.
It’s ready!

A pozole is not ready until you serve it with shredded cabbage, chopped onions, cilantro, and TONS of lime. In my family we always add extra heat by serving it with my Salsa de Jitomate.

Provecho!

*Dried corn that has been hydrated in an alkili solution that removes the hull and germ, making it easier for our bodies to digest.

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

Chipotle Lentil Soup

While having a conversation with my mom the other night, she shared that while she was pregnant with me she ate a lot, a lot of lentils. I laughed and said “no wonder I love lentils so much.” I could eat lentils everyday! During the winter time is when I eat the most lentils; as my all time favorite lentil dish is moms lentil soup.

Over the years, I’ve made a couple of small changes to my moms soup to bring out and even more bold flavor. Today, I present you with my Chipotle Lentil Soup. This soup is spicy, acidic, warm, and delicious of course! I hope you enjoy.

Serves approximately 4 people

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cups chopped tomato
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 chipotle en adobo
3 sprigs of cilantro
10 cups water
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 limes
- Cook lentils for about 20 minutes in 6 cups of water, then drain.
- In a pot sauté the onions for about 5 minutes under low heat (do not brown them).
- Add the cloves of garlic and allow them to sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Then add the tomatoes and sauté for another 6 minutes.
- Now add the cumin, black pepper, and curry powder. Mix well and add the lentils.
- Finally, add the chipotle and the water. Bring to a boil then cover and cook for at least 50 minutes under low heat.
- At 40 minutes of cooking, add the cilantro. You can remove before serving.

When serving I always add several drops of lime to each plate. The acidity in the lime will bring a perfect balance.

Provecho!

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

Sopa Mexicana de Vegetales (Mexican Vegetable Soup)

I’m sure most of us could relate to the comfort a bowl of soup can bring us when we are fighting a cold. Since it seems that almost everyone around me has been sick, I wanted to share a very delicious but most importantly, very healthy Mexican vegetable soup.

My Sopa Mexicana de Vegetales brings me beautiful memories of my mom taking care of me with her delicious food whenever I was sick. Thank you mom for taking care of me so well all my life.

Now, you don’t have to be sick to enjoy it but it will soothe your soul if you are. Enjoy!

Yields: approximately 6 large servings

Ingredients:
1 chayote
2 medium potatoes
2 medium vine ripe tomatoes
2 carrots
2 fresh corn on the cob
1 celery stick
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of coarse salt
8 sprigs of cilantro
2 teaspoon whole cumin
2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 egg (omit for a vegan soup)
10 cups of water

- Roughly chop all vegetables, excluding the cilantro and garlic. You can also cut your corn into 1 inch rounds if you would like.
- In a large pot bring the water to a boil then add all the vegetables and salt.
- Simmer soup (under low heat) for about 15 minutes then add cumin, black pepper, and oregano. Continue to simmer soup for an additional 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water until well mixed.
- Slowly, drop the egg into the soup while mixing. The purpose of the egg is to add flavor. Mix fast so that the egg almost disappears into the soup (no clumps).
- Add the cilantro sprigs and simmer for another 10 minutes.

This Soup is done!

Not only is this soup flavorful but it is very healthy. You could saute the carrots, onions, tomatoes, garlic and spices with olive oil first but this is much healthier. Also, you could include chicken or beef if you’re not vegetarian. Regardless of how you prepare it make sure to enjoy it with tons of lime juice and cilantro.

Provecho

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

Sopa de Xoconostle

I woke up and felt the chill in the air. Closed my eyes and pulled the sheets more tightly. Fall came early. Like an automatic switch, my brain translated fall into an excuse to eat soup for days. Oh how I love fall and a delicious soup to warm the heart.

To start off this soup season I wanted to share my favorite soup of all time: Sopa de Xoconostle.

Xoconostles, as I have shared with you in the past, are the sour fruit of the prickly pear cactus. As you might imagine, this soup will be extremely subtle, citric, and rejuvenating. The best way to describe it is by saying that it’s the Mexican version of a Miso Soup.

As a child my mom made this soup quite often and I always felt happy and relaxed after eating it. To me there is no more comforting food than the delicious broth of Sopa de Xoconostle.

Run to your favorite Mexican market and purchase the ingredients for this simple recipe that will soothe your heart.

Ingredients:
6 xoconostles
5 tomatillos
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 large white onion
1 jalapeño
1 tablespoon of coarse salt
1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
2 liters of water

- Bring 2 liters of water to a boil.
- In the meantime, cut both ends of a xoconostle and remove the skin using a paring knife. If you would prefer, remove the seeds using a spoon (I like the seeds but they can be like pomegranate seeds, it’s your choice).
- Roughly chop the xoconostles and add to water. Lower heat.
- Chop tomatillos in quarters and add to water also.
- Rough chop the onion and add to the soup.
- Add the garlic, jalapeño, and salt.
- Continue simmering for approximately 30 minutes or until xoconostles are cooked. You will know when the xoconostles are cooked if they are firm yet easy to chew.
- As you turn off your heat add the cilantro. You can serve after 5 minutes.

Extremely simple yet so comforting this soup is. You can eat it as an appetizer before a meal or as a light entree. I love to eat my Sopa de Xoconostle with some Mayocoba beans that have just been cooked by adding them inside the soup (don’t use canned beans as they will ruin the subtle flavors). Also, I prefer to have a warm corn tortilla instead of bread or crackers with it.

Provecho!

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

Sopa De Nopales (Cactus Soup)

For the rest of my life this dish will hold a special place in my heart. A year ago I sat in my New York living room watching the beginning of a 3rd season of MasterChef. A very special person in my life looked at me and for the 3rd year in a row he said “You need to go on MasterChef.” I stared at the hopefuls presenting their signature dishes to the judges and giggled. “I should” I responded, yet I didn’t mean it. The idea was too grandiose to comprehend. Then he asked “What would you cook for the judges?” I thought for about 30 seconds and said “I think my Sopa de Nopales. It would be different, no one has presented that,and it’s delicious.”

Months later, after many reminders of how I needed to audition, I gathered myself together and thought “I have nothing to lose.” I knew I wanted to transition my career into a culinary one and that my passion was truly with food. Many more months later, after countless rounds of auditions, I found myself in front of three amazing people in the culinary world presenting my Sopa de Nopales.

An idea that started out of a giggle but my heart knew what it was saying. It knew what I needed to stand out. It knew that I needed to use the ingredients that represented me and where I came from.

I hope this dish brings you as much joy as it has to me in my life.

INGREDIENTS:
8 Prickly Pear Cactus Pads
16 Guajillo Chilies
4 Pulla Chillies
3 large white onions
6 cloves of garlic
4 tsp. of cumin powder
2 tsp. black Pepper
5 sprigs of cilantro
4 cups of water (2 for sauce, 2 for soup)
Husks of 4 tomatillos
½ cup of Mexican dried Shrimp or 1 sheet of nori
2 egg
1 tsp. of Panko crumbs
7 tbsp. corn oil
6 tsp. salt

• Dice all four pads of prickly pear cactus.
• Roughly chop one of the onions.
• Boil the diced cactus and the onions with 4 large cloves of garlic, the tomatillo husks, and 1 teaspoon of salt; until tender (About 30 minutes).
• Devein and remove all seeds from the guajillo and pulla chillies. Then place in boiling water for about 5 minutes.
• In the meantime, dice the second onion and place aside for the soup.
• Puree chilies, along with 2 cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 cups of water and about 1 teaspoon of salt in a food processor.
• In a pot, add 2 tablespoons of corn oil and sauté the diced onion until soft.
• Strain the chili paste through a colander to remove any skins.
• Add the chili paste to the sautéed onions and sauté for about 1 minute.
• Drain the cactus from boiling water and remove tomatillo husks, onions, and garlic cloves. Then add the drained cactus into the sautéed chili paste and sauté for about 2 minutes.
• Add the cilantro into the pot and sauté for about 30 seconds.
• Immediately add the one and a half cups of water to the pot and simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes. I try to leave it for about 40 minutes. For less thick of a constancy add 2 cups instead.
• Meanwhile, place the dried shrimp (removing the heads) and panko crumbs into a food processor and pulverize. Or substitute by using the nori.
• Separate the egg white from the yolk, and whisk until it forms soft peaks, then add egg yolks and whisk briefly until blended smoothly.
• Immediately add the dried shrimp powder to the eggs, and fold softly until completely blended.
• In a deep skillet add 4 tablespoons of corn oil and heat under medium to high heat. Once the oil is heated, drop in small balls of egg and shrimp mixture with a spoon. Fry on both sides until golden. Place on paper napkins to remove any excess oil.
• Your soup will be done by now. All you have left to do is cut your dried shrimp patties into cubes.
• Serve your soup and garnish with the dried shrimp croutons and fresh cilantro.

This is completely vegan if you omit the dried shrimp croutons.

Provecho!

Feel free to post your comments or questions.