Robin: This lovely dish from northern Mexico is delightfully different from most other soups with similar ingredients. It contains potatoes, but is not thick; it calls for milk, but is not a cream soup, there is cheese in it, but the cheese does not melt. In fact, a fresh, white queso panela or queso fresco is used precisely because of that; as they come into contact with the hot broth, the cubes of cheese will soften but not lose their shape, adding another level of lusciousness to the soup.
- More info on cheesy deliciousness: A Brief Tour of Mexican Cheeses
The dish comes from the Mexican state of Sonora. Inhabitants of this part of the country have a reputation for being open and direct in their speech and interactions. The food in this northern region is often very similar in character: flavorful but unpretentious ingredients prepared in a straightforward manner and as devoid of complications as possible.
I find Sonoran Cheese and Potato Soup particularly satisfying for a meatless meal, either during Lent or at some other time. It is delicious either as a relatively filling first course (perhaps followed by a seafood or vegetable salad) or as a light main dish on a fast day or before a special, rich dessert.
Ingredient Note: This recipes calls for fresh, light green Anaheim chile peppers, which are common in northern Mexico and the southwest U.S.A. Read about several varieties of fresh green chiles. You will be needing to roast and peel the peppers. I find that to be an enjoyable task because of the exquisite aroma of roasted chiles. If you are unfamiliar with this technique (one often used in authentic Mexican cooking), check out one or more of the following:
- How to Roast and Peel Chili Peppers or How to Roast Chiles
- How to Roast Green Chilies (from Pioneer Woman)
Sonoran Cheese and Potato Soup (Caldo de queso y papa)
Ingredients
- 14 ounces (400 grams) fresh white Mexican cheese queso fresco, queso panela, or similar
- 2 large Anaheim chiles or similar mild hot peppers about ½ pound or 225 grams total
- 4 medium-sized potatoes about 2 pounds or 900 grams total
- 2 tablespoons butter, pork lard, or vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 large red ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced or about a cup of canned diced tomatoes
- 8 cups (2 liters) chicken broth (homemade, from a box, or prepared with bouillon powder/paste)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups (1/2 liter) milk
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
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Take the cheese out of the fridge and let it warm to room temperature so that it will be ready to add to the broth when serving. Cut it into cubes of about 1 inch in size or slightly smaller.
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Roast, “sweat,” and peel the chiles in the same way as would be done with poblano and other peppers, either directly over a flame or under a broiler. (Whatever you do, and regardless of instructions to the contrary, do not ever rinse roasted chile flesh with water, as you will be rinsing away a lot of their wonderful flavor!) Discard the seeds and stems and cut the pepper flesh into squares of about the same size as your cheese cubes
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Peel the potatoes and cut them into sticks of about 3 x 0.5 x 0.5 inches (sort of French-fry-shaped)—or into the size and shape of your preference.
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In a soup kettle, heat the butter, lard or oil. Sautee the onion and garlic, stirring often, until the onion is translucent but not brown. Add the potatoes and tomatoes and continue to sautee and stir for another 5 minutes or so.
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Pour in the broth. Allow it to come to boiling, then turn the heat down so that the soup gently simmers. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are soft but not yet beginning to fall apart.
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Add the squares of chile pepper, oregano, milk, and salt. (If you have used a pre-made broth, taste the soup before adding more salt to avoid over salting.) When it gets near boiling point once again, turn the burner off, cover the pot, and let the soup “rest” for at least 15 minutes.
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To serve your delicious Sonoran Cheese and Potato Soup: place a few cubes of (room temperature) cheese into each bowl. Ladle hot soup—broth, potatoes, and chile pieces—over the cheese. Serve with crackers or a crusty bread, if desired.
Recipe Notes
This dish lends itself to several delicious variations:
- If you’d like a vegetarian soup, simply trade the chicken broth for vegetable broth; for a vegan version, use vegan “cheese” and omit the milk.
- Although the light green Anaheim (also known as California) chiles are traditional in this, you can use any sort of fresh green chiles that you like. Poblanos add wonderful flavor and a little more spice, but bell pepper will also work well if you are cooking for people who don’t do hot chiles at all.
- All out of oregano? Try some other dried or fresh herb—thyme, rosemary, or epazote, for example.
- For many, the best part of this soup is the cubes of cheese that soften but do not fall apart in the hot broth; however, if you find yourself wanting the cheese even softer, try a flavorful melty variety such as Mexican manchego or Chihuahua.
More scrumptious soups:
Other delicious options for Lent:
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