Sopa de Oaxaca
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
10 chile poblanos, fresh or canned
6 medium potatoes
6 medium tomatoes, peeled
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp cooking oil
4-6 cups water, as necessary
salt to taste
3 Tbsp. granulated chicken broth
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2-1/2 cups milk
1 pound Oaxacan or mozzarella cheese, diced
Instructions:
If the poblano chiles are fresh, first roast them on a hot griddle until the skin blisters and turns brown. Put them into a plastic bag to “sweat” for about 10 minutes, then peel, devein and remove the seeds. If canned chiles are used, slit them and remove seeds. Rinse the chiles in water and cut into long strips.
Peel and cube the potatoes. Puree the tomatoes in a blender and pour through a sieve to remove the seeds.
In a 6-8-quart pan, fry the onion, garlic, potatoes and chile strips in the oil until the onion is soft. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes, then add the water, salt, broth granules, parsley and baking soda.
In a separate pan, bring the milk to a boil and remove any “skin,” then add it to the other mixture. Add about one-third of the diced cheese and let it melt.
In each individual soup bowl, put about 3 Tbsp. of diced cheese and pour the piping-hot soup over it.
Yields 6 servings.
Recipe from The Junior League of Mexico City, Mexico.