Sopa Seca

Ingredience

8 ounces fideos (2 cups)

¼ cup vegetable oil, divided

1 pound plum tomatoes, cored and quartered (4 to 6 tomatoes)

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 cups water, plus extra as needed

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

½–1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon table salt

½teaspoon pepper

1 avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced thin

1½ ounces queso fresco, crumbled (⅓ cup)

½ cup Mexican crema

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup crushed chicharrones (optional)

Pokyny

1. Heat fideos and 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fideos are deep golden brown but not burnt, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer fideos to large bowl; set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic and cook until tomatoes are very soft and have released some of their juices, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Process tomato mixture, water, bouillon powder, chipotle, oregano, salt, and pepper in blender until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of blender as needed. Transfer mixture to 8-cup liquid measuring cup; add extra water as needed to reach 5 cups.

4. Transfer tomato mixture to again-empty skillet. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently stir in fideos until fully submerged in tomato mixture. Spread fideos into even layer, and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, until fideos are tender and sauce is fully absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain very gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Transfer sopa seca to serving bowls. Divide avocado, queso fresco, crema, and cilantro evenly over fideos. Sprinkle with chicharrones, if using. Serve.

Poznámky

Look for short, “broken” fideos pasta, about 1 inch in length, and not coiled noodles, which are also known as fideos. If you can’t find short fideos, substitute 8 ounces thin spaghetti or angel hair, broken into 1- to 2-inch lengths; loosely wrap pasta in dish towel and then press the bundle against the corner of the counter to break into short pieces. Knorr brand chicken bouillon is traditional; if you can’t find the loose powder, you can crush two to three bouillon cubes and then measure 2 tablespoons. For a spicier dish, use the greater amount of chipotle chile.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Sopa seca, literally translated from Spanish as “dry soup,” is a popular comfort food dish in many Mexican and Mexican American homes. It’s built upon a base of fideos, which are short, thin, golden noodles similar to angel hair pasta. We simmered these fideos in a smoky, spicy, tomato-based sauce flavored with chipotle, chicken bouillon powder, and other spices. (Knorr brand bouillon, specifically, is sometimes called the “secret ingredient” in sopa seca, providing the distinct salty, round flavor found in home-cooked versions.) As the fideos cooked, the sauce was fully absorbed into a creamy consistency. To finish, we topped it off with classic fixings such as crema, avocado, queso fresco, and chicharrones.