Sopa Seca

I have been obsessed with Mexican cooking recently. Simply because I have discovered a brand new world of flavours while visiting Mexico and I am slowly starting to understand how to put these flavours together. I learnt how to cook with dried chiles and I love how the spicy is calmed by the lime, cheese and cilantro. Lime is added to everything, with drinks, on meats, in soups. It is the cure for everything. And it is as available there as apples here. Of course, I have never seen a lime there that was dry or not juicy enough! Be careful while shopping here. Feel the lime and if it is too hard stay away from it as far as you can!

Here is a dish I came across in the Mexican issue of Saveur. Cooked by an American, who moved to Mexico and became an expert in Mexican cooking- Diana Kennedy. Her cookbooks are on my list to study!

I thought that pasta is not that big in Mexico, so I was so surprised when I came across this recipe. It is delicious and it makes for a great lunch or side with dinner. 

SOPA SECA

(Saveur)

¼ cup canola oil
225 g fideos or vermicelli noodles, broken into 3" pieces
3 chipotles chiles in adobo, minced
4 cloves garlic
1 (425 g) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed
½ small white onion, chopped
½ cup chicken stock
1 cup crumbled goats cheese
¾ sour cream
2 tablespoons cilantro

Heat oven to 350°. Grease an 8" x 8" baking dish with oil. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the noodles for about 4 minutes until crispy.

Puree chipotles, garlic, tomatoes, and onion in a blender until smooth. Return skillet to heat, and add tomato purée; cook for about 18 minutes. Add the stock, noodles and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.