Sopa Seca Mexican Noodle Casserolefrom Food Network Recipes

SOPA SECA WITH BEANS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and poblano and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook 2 more minutes. Add the uncooked spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer until some of the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to high; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the spaghetti is almost fully cooked, about 6 more minutes. Uncover and stir in the beans and all but 2 tablespoons of the cilantro; continue simmering until the spaghetti is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3 more minutes. Divide the pasta and beans among bowls and top with the remaining cilantro and the cheese. Per serving: Calories 420; Fat 10g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 28mg; Sodium 635mg; Carbohydrate 65g; Fiber 17g; Protein 22g

MEXICAN TURKEY NOODLE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush an 8 x 8-inch casserole dish with oil. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the raw noodle bundles, and saute turning with a pair of tongs until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles and any pieces to a plate.
• Saute the onion in the same skillet, over medium heat, until light golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ground coriander, oregano, chile powder, and bay leaf, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cook for 2 minutes, until thickened. Add the broth and noodles to the skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the noodles with a spoon. Stir in the turkey. Turn the mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese over and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
• In a small serving bowl, stir together the sour cream and fresh coriander. Serve the casserole with the flavored sour cream and the lime wedges on the side.

SOPA SECA

Steps:

• Note: Chayote is a type of squash; leaving the peel on adds color to this dish, but some find the skin to be "slimy" when cooked so it can be peeled if desired. If chayote is unavailable, use zucchini or crookneck squash.
• Put noodles in a sealable plastic bag and break into small pieces by rolling with a pin or crushing with your hands. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add onion, garlic, and chiles. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add noodles and stir until lightly toasted and well coated with oil. Add chayote, tomatoes, oregano, and broth; cover and let simmer until almost dry (about 15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

SOPA SECA DE FIDEOS

Steps:

• For dried chiles, toast them on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning regularly and pressing flat with a spatula, until very aromatic, about 30 seconds. In a small bowl, cover the chiles with hot water and re-hydrate 30 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even soaking. Drain and discard the water. (Canned chiles need only be removed from their sauce.)
• Roast the unpeeled garlic on the griddle or skillet, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes; cool and peel. Roast 1 1/2 pounds of the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on 1 side, about 6 minutes, then flip and roast the other side. Cool, then peel, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes.
• In a food processor or blender, process the roasted tomatoes, rehydrated or canned chiles, and garlic to a medium-fine puree. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in medium-size (4-quart) pot (such as a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela) over medium-high. Add the puree and stir for about 5 minutes as it sears and thickens. Set aside.
• If using chorizo, cook in a little oil over medium heat, breaking up large lumps as you go, until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible back into the skillet.
• Pour 6 tablespoons of the remaining oil into the skillet and return to the heat. When quite hot (drop a stray noodle in ? it should sizzle but not brown immediately), lay in about 1/3 of the noodle nests to fry until noticeably browned, about 1 minute, then flip and brown the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible back into the skillet, and drain on paper towels. Continue until all have been browned.
• Add the broth, oregano, and pepper to the tomato sauce. Core the remaining 1 pound of tomatoes and chop into 1/4-inch bits. Add and simmer briskly until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a juicy tomato sauce, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt.
• Add the noodles. In about 2 minutes pull the "nests" apart (they'll have softened enough to do it at this point), then add the zucchini and the chorizo (if you're using it). Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but still firm, about 2 minutes.
• If using the cream, add it now, raise the heat to medium-high and boil quickly until the sauce returns to its previous consistency. Taste again and readjust the salt, if necessary.
• Stir in half of the grated cheese, scoop into a warm serving dish, sprinkle on the remaining cheese and the cilantro garnish, and it's ready to serve.

MEXICAN-STYLE RICE (SOPA SECA)

Steps:

• In a large heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over the rice enough to cover. Stir only once, and let stand 10 minutes.
• Transfer to a colander over the sink and rinse rice under cold water. Drain again. Set rice aside, spread out on a cookie sheet to dry slightly. (I usually do this first thing in the morning.).
• In the meantime, put the tomatoes, onion, garlic and half of chili pepper into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth like salsa. Set tomato mixture aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saute pan and cook rice until a light golden brown color. Stir constantly so that rice does not burn, scraping bottom of pan with spatula because the rice grains will stick.
• Next add the pureed tomato mixture and keep stirring over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. If mixture starts to boil, reduce heat. *Stir in the stock, salt, and green peas. Continue to cook the mixture on low-medium heat stirring occasionally until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, another 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
• *NOTE: DO NOT stir rice too often after adding the stock or the grains will become too starchy.
• The original directions say to remove pan from heat, cover with tight-fitting lid; letting stand in a warm place 10 minutes or so. I remove pan from heat, cover and place pan in low oven, at approximately 150-200 degrees. Sometimes I'll let the rice set in the oven for a good hour or longer, as long as the rice grains are tender and rice doesn't dry out too much.
• Transfer the cooked rice to a serving platter, fluff with fork and serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with thinly sliced chilis or serve on side.

"DRY" MEXICAN NOODLE SOUP (SOPA SECA DE FIDEOS)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add noodles; fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato puree and bay leaves; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Pour tomato mixture carefully into a blender; add water. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour back into the skillet; add bouillon and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add the fried noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the tomato sauce, about 15 minutes more.

SOPA SECA: MEXICAN NOODLE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with oil.
• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the fideos and cook, turning them with tongs, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the bundles and any broken pieces to a plate.
• Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the diced tomatoes with their juices.
• Add the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, salt, and pepper, to taste.
• Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, breaking up the fideos with a spoon, for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken.
• Remove the bay leaf.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil.
• Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes.
• If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top.

SOPA SECA (MEXICAN NOODLE CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Oil an 8x8 glass baking dish and set aside.
• Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
• Add the pasta and stir until lightly browned (like browning the vermicelli in Rice a Roni); set vermicelli aside on paper towels to drain.
• Puree chipotles, garlic, tomatoes and onion in a food processor until smooth.
• Reheat skillet and cook tomato mixture, stirring until the liquid evaporates, 18 minutes or so.
• Add the chicken stock and vermicelli to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper (don't forget to taste and adjust if necessary for your own tastes!).
• Pour it all into the oiled baking dish, and bake, covered with aluminum foil, until pasta is tender and sauce absorbed, about 10 minutes or so.
• Serve sprinkled with cheese, drizzled with crema and garnished with cilantro.

SOPA SECA: MEXICAN NOODLE CASSEROLEFROM FOOD NETWORK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with oil. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideos and cook, turning them with tongs, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bundles and any broken pieces to a plate. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Crush the tomatoes over the pot with your hand and add them to the pot along with their juices. Add the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, salt, and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, breaking up the fideos with a spoon, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top. Copyright (c) 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights