Sopa Seca Vegetariana Con Fideos Recipes

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. 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 Reserved

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.

SOPA DE FIDEOS

Steps:

• Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender, and pulse several times to get the mixture moving; blend until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, and stir in the pasta. Fry the pasta gently, stirring often, until the pasta is golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour the tomato mixture into a large saucepan, and stir in chicken broth and noodles. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium low; simmer until the noodles are tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and stir in the cilantro; simmer 2 more minutes to cook cilantro.

"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 VEGETARIANA CON FIDEOS

Steps:

• *NOTE: original recipe specified 1 tablespoon chili powder.
• Leave the dried pasta in the bag and using a rolling pin, crush the pasta until it is 1/8"-1/4" long.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pasta; stirring constantly until light browned, approximately 4-5 minutes.
• In another small pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lightly saute the red bell pepper until softened.
• Place the white onion, garlic, tomatoes, oregano and jalapeno in a blender and puree until smoothe. Add the puree to the fideos pasta, then add the broth (or water) and the red bell pepper. Stir only a few times.
• Cover pan and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until all moisture is absorbed.
• Fluff with a fork, transfer to a serving platter and top with the cheese and parsley.