My Mexican roots
I'm convinced that in a past life I was Mexican.
If I could, I'd probably eat Mexican food 5 times a week. Unfortunatly, I live on the East Coast, where most peoples idea of mexican food is bland and boring. The good thing is I grew up outside of Detroit and Chicago (Rick Bayless anyone??) so I have been lucky enough to have my fair share of delicious Mexican meals over the years. Xochimilco restaurant in Detroit is still one of my favorite memories of food (and the last time I was there was probably in 1991 - hope it hasn't changed!).
To combat the lack of quality Mexican food out here, I often turn my kitchen into a taqueria and embrace my Mexican roots. Last weekends culinary adventure was the wonderful pork dish of carnitas with homemade salsa verde, pickled red onions and carrots, avocado and queso.
Yesterday's especiales del dia was tortilla soup, inspired by leftovers to use up and the need to get rid of some of the 4 quarts of duck stock I made last Sunday. Definitely a "I think I'll add this" kind of soup, it all came together and did not disappoint.
So this weekend, find your inner cocinero and turn your kitchen in to your own fonda and whip up your own Mexican food.
Because, after all, nothing says Mexican like a blonde haired, blue eyed Irish gal with a french name.
Tortilla Soup
Some notes on this recipe:
--You can fry your own corn tortillas in canola oil or you can just break up tortilla chips.
--I pickled mild peppers and baby carrots last weekend (it was Rick Bayless' quick pickling recipes if you are interested) so those were a "I need to use these" addition. You can find pickled mixed veggies in the store if you really want to pick out the carrots, and of course you can find jalapenos. Be careful of the heat of them though! I do think the mild peppers and carrots add a nice acidic balance to the heat of the sausage as well as some natural sweetness. If you do want extra heat when served, add some hot sauce.
--You can use canned beans in place of dried. Use one can, but make sure they are rinsed and drained. Add with the pickled veggies (not with the stock and tomatoes) to avoid mushy beans.
--You can use chicken stock in place of duck stock (b/c honestly, unless you just broke down a duck, you probably don't have any duck stock on hand). It will change the flavor slightly, but will still be good!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp veg/canola oil
2 chicken chorizo sausages (I got mine from Whole Foods - on sale of course!)
1 large shallot, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 Q + 2 c. duck stock
1 box Pomi tomatoes, chopped
1 cup dried dark beans, re-hydrated 24 hrs
2 tbsp pickled red/green peppers
2 tbsp pickled carrots
salt/pepper
crispy tortilla strips/scraps for topping
Directions:
Remove casing from sausage. In large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp veg/canola oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up, 5-7 minutes, or until no pink remains (kind of hard with a red colored sausage, but 5-7 min should be fine since you continue to simmer the soup).
Add shallots and onions and allow to soften in the remaining oil and fat from the sausage (5 min). Add garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Add stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add the pickled veggies and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the beans are cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm with tortilla strips on top.
If I could, I'd probably eat Mexican food 5 times a week. Unfortunatly, I live on the East Coast, where most peoples idea of mexican food is bland and boring. The good thing is I grew up outside of Detroit and Chicago (Rick Bayless anyone??) so I have been lucky enough to have my fair share of delicious Mexican meals over the years. Xochimilco restaurant in Detroit is still one of my favorite memories of food (and the last time I was there was probably in 1991 - hope it hasn't changed!).
To combat the lack of quality Mexican food out here, I often turn my kitchen into a taqueria and embrace my Mexican roots. Last weekends culinary adventure was the wonderful pork dish of carnitas with homemade salsa verde, pickled red onions and carrots, avocado and queso.
Yesterday's especiales del dia was tortilla soup, inspired by leftovers to use up and the need to get rid of some of the 4 quarts of duck stock I made last Sunday. Definitely a "I think I'll add this" kind of soup, it all came together and did not disappoint.
So this weekend, find your inner cocinero and turn your kitchen in to your own fonda and whip up your own Mexican food.
Because, after all, nothing says Mexican like a blonde haired, blue eyed Irish gal with a french name.
Tortilla Soup
Some notes on this recipe:
--You can fry your own corn tortillas in canola oil or you can just break up tortilla chips.
--I pickled mild peppers and baby carrots last weekend (it was Rick Bayless' quick pickling recipes if you are interested) so those were a "I need to use these" addition. You can find pickled mixed veggies in the store if you really want to pick out the carrots, and of course you can find jalapenos. Be careful of the heat of them though! I do think the mild peppers and carrots add a nice acidic balance to the heat of the sausage as well as some natural sweetness. If you do want extra heat when served, add some hot sauce.
--You can use canned beans in place of dried. Use one can, but make sure they are rinsed and drained. Add with the pickled veggies (not with the stock and tomatoes) to avoid mushy beans.
--You can use chicken stock in place of duck stock (b/c honestly, unless you just broke down a duck, you probably don't have any duck stock on hand). It will change the flavor slightly, but will still be good!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp veg/canola oil
2 chicken chorizo sausages (I got mine from Whole Foods - on sale of course!)
1 large shallot, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 Q + 2 c. duck stock
1 box Pomi tomatoes, chopped
1 cup dried dark beans, re-hydrated 24 hrs
2 tbsp pickled red/green peppers
2 tbsp pickled carrots
salt/pepper
crispy tortilla strips/scraps for topping
Directions:
Remove casing from sausage. In large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp veg/canola oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up, 5-7 minutes, or until no pink remains (kind of hard with a red colored sausage, but 5-7 min should be fine since you continue to simmer the soup).
Add shallots and onions and allow to soften in the remaining oil and fat from the sausage (5 min). Add garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Add stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add the pickled veggies and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the beans are cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm with tortilla strips on top.
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